To boost Davao del Norte’s fight against COVID-19, PLDT and its wireless subsidiary Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) are rolling out fiber-powered, carrier-grade Smart WiFi at the key COVID-19 facilities of the province.
 
Fast, free, 24/7 Smart WiFi has been deployed at the Davao del Norte Provincial COVID-19 Response Command Center at the Provincial Capitol in Mankilam, Tagum City and at the Davao Regional Medical Center in Apokon, Tagum City.
 
Smart WiFi will also be rolled out at the Davao del Norte Hospital-Carmen Zone, Davao del Norte Hospital-Kapalong Zone, Davao del Norte Hospital-IGACOS Zone, and in COVID-19 command centers in selected cities and municipalities in Davao Del Norte.
 
“As a nation, we need to combat this public health emergency and that includes providing our people their basic right to important and accurate information about this health situation and health updates on how we are coping with the problem,” said Davao del Norte Gov. Edwin Jubahib in his letter to Smart President and CEO Alfredo S. Panlilio.
 
"This is part of our commitment to support local governments across the country in their fight against the virus by ensuring that their COVID-19 facilities and frontliners are equipped with reliable connectivity and vital digital tools that are essential in their emergency response,” Panlilio said.
 
These Wi-Fi installations, which have a capacity of up to 1 Gigabyte per second, are the latest in PLDT-Smart’s ongoing efforts to provide communications support to frontline agencies and their personnel.
 
Smart WiFi connectivity is available in provincial capitols, city and municipal halls across the country, which are being used as a base of operations for local government logistics, transportation and relief, as well as in hospitals, supermarkets and convenience stores.
 
Smart WiFi has also been deployed in the other COVID-19 mega health facilities at the Philippine Arena, Rizal Stadium, Philippine International Convention Center, and World Trade Center, as well as in New Clark City in Tarlac and Philippine Army Gymnasium in Taguig. It is also being deployed in in La Salle Greenhills in Mandaluyong City and Far Eastern University in Alabang, Muntinlupa, which are housing COVID-19 frontliners from nearby hospitals.