In line with supporting the government’s broader digitalization goals, PLDT Inc. (PLDT) is pushing for full connectivity in all state universities across the Philippines by 2025. This initiative builds on its ongoing efforts with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to advance digital inclusion in education, and with the Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) for internet expansion in Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDAs).
Since 2022, PLDT Group, through its corporate business unit PLDT Enterprise, has successfully activated 1,000 Wi-Fi hotspots across 220 public Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in 60 provinces, providing critical internet access for students and educators. PLDT Chief Operating Officer Menardo “Butch” Jimenez Jr. emphasized the importance of sustaining and expanding these efforts to ensure that digital education remains accessible and uninterrupted.
“Continued support is necessary to maintain this transformative initiative,” Jimenez explained. “We are calling for renewed efforts to make digital education accessible in all state universities by 2025. This vision aligns with the advocacy of our Chairman, Manny V. Pangilinan, who has long been a champion of initiatives that promote education and digital transformation for Filipinos.”
Expanding connectivity in HEIs supports PSAC’s broader push for digital inclusion, where PLDT is among the founding members of the Digital Infrastructure Sector along with its wireless arm, Smart Communications, Inc. Lead Convenor Sabin Aboitiz, Sector Head Myla Villanueva, and the collaboration of local telcos at PSAC will be pivotal in steering digitalization efforts, which include the planned activation of key GIDA sites starting this year.
“Through this collaboration, we are shaping a future where all students, regardless of location, have access to the tools they need to succeed in a digital world,” Jimenez concluded.
PLDT Group’s efforts in advancing digital inclusion extend beyond higher education to support younger students, particularly in underserved communities. School-in-a-Bag portable digital classrooms promote resilient and inclusive learning environments across the country, benefiting over 600 schools, 11,000 educators, and 116,000 students as schools opened for the current academic year, including GIDA beneficiaries.
The Group and its social outreach arm, PLDT-Smart Foundation, also continue to support the Central Visayan Institute Foundation Dynamic Learning Program. This innovative teaching method fosters independent learning among students, particularly in public schools and Alternative Learning Systems with limited resources. Implemented in over 1,000 schools nationwide, this method has been especially effective in improving student performance in STEM subjects.