The Dumaguete City government received a ‘Ligtas Kit’ from PLDT Inc. and its wireless arm, Smart Communications Inc., as part of the group’s ongoing efforts to help build disaster-resilient communities across the country.
The all-in-one emergency communications package contains a power station, solar panel, rechargeable handy megaphone, crank radio, satellite phone (SmartSAT) with initial load, smartphone, Smart LTE pocket Wi-Fi, rechargeable flashlight, and whistle.
Apart from assisting emergency response teams, the kit also enables local government units and agencies to provide immediate communication aid to the public by deploying free calling and charging stations, the company said in a press release, adding the assistance aims to serve the urgent communication needs of communities in times of catastrophic events.
“We thank PLDT and Smart for this initiative,” Dumaguete City Mayor Felipe Antonio Remollo said. “The Ligtas Kit will be very useful not just for the city government but also for the people of Dumaguete.”
The company’s assistance also includes capacity-building sessions, such as emergency communications training with the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation, to assist Ligtas Kit recipients in improving their disaster communications initiatives.
“We at PLDT and Smart remain true to our thrust of keeping communication services up even during natural calamities, especially for the LGUs whose response should never waver or delay,” Armel Malijan, Negros Division zone head at PLDT, said. “We are glad to contribute to strengthening the disaster preparedness and response of Dumaguete through the Ligtas Kit.” ||
