For Manuel Manimtim, Managing Head for Plant and Operations at Green Cross Inc.'s (GCI) Makiling Plant in Calamba, Laguna, even decades of overseeing plant operations had not fully prepared him for the basics of surviving an emergency. That changed after PLDT and Smart brought their Individual Preparedness Caravan to the plant, where he and his colleagues learned how to assemble survival kits, secure communication links during emergencies, and put together the tools needed to respond when disaster strikes. "I learned a lot, primarily how to have this kit and prepare ourselves for any kind of emergency," he said, adding that he plans to bring the lessons home to his family.

Manimtim's experience reflects the broader goal behind the caravan. Recognizing the important role of private sector collaboration in building safer communities, PLDT and Smart extended their disaster resilience training module to essential manufacturing partner GCI. The activity, which forms part of the PLDT Group's #KonektedforResilience advocacy, reflects PLDT and Smart's continuing commitment to fostering a culture of preparedness among employees, communities, and partners.

Facilitated by the PLDT Group's longtime partner Emergency Management Center (EMC) and held at GCI’s Makiling Plant, the session enabled GCI employees to gain practical emergency response and personal preparedness skills. It also guided participants through the "rule of threes" for surviving without air, water, and food.

Edward Sanchez II, the plant's Safety Officer, said the caravan revisited simple but essential preparedness practices, such as using cloth to filter water. He said he hoped PLDT and Smart would continue partnering with other companies and organizations to spread awareness on emergency preparedness.

For Russel Vinuya, Plant Superintendent, the session's emphasis on preparing a "go bag" containing essential documents and tools stood out as a practical takeaway that ordinary individuals, not just specialists, can apply. He described the initiative as one he hoped to bring to the broader community.

All three GCI officials noted that the training arrived at a timely moment, as plant personnel juggle daily operations with the need to stay ready for unexpected emergencies. They said the caravan served as a refresher on preparedness fundamentals that are easy to overlook amid routine work, and expressed hope that PLDT and Smart would continue extending similar sessions to other private sector partners.

The Individual Preparedness Caravan is one of PLDT and Smart's capacity-building initiatives under #KonektedforResilience, alongside network readiness, mobile solutions, and Communications as Aid, helping communities prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters. The initiative also supports the PLDT Group's commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs), particularly SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals.