PLDT and Smart are teaming up with Unilab Foundation to expand the reach of the Central Visayan Institute Foundation Dynamic Learning Program (CVIF-DLP) to more schools supported by the foundation.

The partnership reflects PLDT and Smart’s commitment to working with like-minded organizations to strengthen the resilience of Philippine education, particularly in helping schools keep learning going when disruptions make conventional classroom instruction difficult.

“When we started working with CVIF on the Dynamic Learning Program, we always knew that we would need more partners to create a significant impact on the country’s education system,” said Roby Alampay, FVP and Head of Public Engagement at PLDT and Smart. “Bringing in Unilab Foundation amplifies our efforts to reach more schools, especially those in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas, to ensure that no learner is left behind.”

“We believe that meaningful social change happens when organizations come together to co-create sustainable and scalable solutions. Bayanihan is central to how we do this— we bring expertise and resources that create impact beyond what one organization can achieve. Together with CVIF, PLDT, and SMART, we hope to help strengthen schools’ capacity to sustain learning amid disruption and contribute to a more inclusive and resilient education system," said Atty. Jose Maria A. Ochave, Executive Director of the Unilab Foundation.

The partnership builds on the Department of Education’s nationwide rollout of the crisis-tested teaching pedagogy, which is designed to help students learn independently while giving teachers a practical approach to delivering lessons.

Developed by Ramon Magsaysay Awardees Dr. Christopher Bernido and his late wife, Dr. Maria Victoria Carpio-Bernido, CVIF-DLP uses Learning Activity Sheets (LAS)—one-page main instruction materials that break down complex concepts into manageable lessons that students can accomplish independently.

“Learning faces tremendous challenges nowadays that it calls on education champions to unite in addressing these,” said Dr. Christopher Bernido, Co-founder of CVIF-DLP. “We cannot postpone earthquakes or typhoons. But CVIF-DLP can help ensure that learning goes on despite these disruptions.”

The program is also designed to help address teacher shortages through a parallel-class system, allowing one expert teacher to simultaneously manage three classes with the help of two facilitators, who can be another teacher or non-teaching personnel.

CVIF-DLP also incorporates strategic periods for rest and study. Skills-based subjects such as music, arts, and physical education are scheduled midweek to give students a mental reset. Homework is discouraged so that tasks can be completed in school, although LAS may be assigned during disruptions such as severe weather events and out-of-school competitions.

Since 2010, PLDT and Smart have helped scale CVIF-DLP nationwide through the #KonektedforLearning initiative. The PLDT Group has supported the training of more than 33,000 teachers and the implementation of the program in more than 1,000 schools across elementary, secondary, and tertiary levels.

The initiative also underscores PLDT and Smart’s commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4 on Quality Education, which calls for inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all.