PLDT and its wireless unit Smart Communications Inc. have turned over “Ligtas Kits” to concerned local government units to support LGU and disaster response agencies with emergency communication devices, enabling them to quickly respond to affected communities in times of natural crises.
Packed in a protective hard case, each kit comes with 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.
“The Ligtas Kit provides helpful tools for disaster preparedness and response, and underscores our efforts to innovate and leverage on PLDT and Smart services to strengthen efforts of LGUs and agencies to assist their people, especially in times of crisis,” Marylou Gocotano, head of Visayas Relations under the Stakeholder Management at PLDT and Smart, said in a press release Wednesday, October 5.
The three coastal municipalities of Bantayan, Santa Fe, and Madridejos in Bantayan Island, Cebu are among the first recipients of these kits.
Present during the turnover ceremony were the municipal mayors and their respective Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office heads: Bantayan Mayor Arthur Despi and DRRMO head Erwin Tinga, Madridejos Mayor Romeo Villaceran and DRRMO head Jessie Estellore, and Sta. Fe Mayor Ithamar Espinosa and DRRMO head Leah Escarlan.
The distribution of kits forms part of the longstanding safe and smart advocacy of the PLDT Group, and its commitment to promote preparedness and immediate response, through the continuous availability of communication services, mobile solutions, and activities to help communities mitigate disaster risks.
The effort also underscores the Group’s commitment to attaining the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly on Sustainable Cities and Communities. ||
