PLDT Enterprise, the B2B arm of the country’s leading ICT and digital services provider, kicks off the year with the launch of its Smart WiFi service in the Port of Cagayan de Oro (CDO) through its partnership with the Philippine Ports Authority and the local government of Cagayan de Oro.
Inaugurated in July of last year, the CDO Port is the biggest passenger terminal building in the country to date—boasting of a two-story port that caters to over 1.2 million passengers every year with ferry trips to Manila, Cebu, Camiguin, Bacolod, and Iloilo. The port also serves as a key transportation gateway to and from Mindanao.
ePLDT President & CEO and SVP & Head of PLDT and Smart Enterprise Business Groups Jovy Hernandez shared his sentiments on the partnership saying, “We at PLDT Enterprise commend the local government of CDO for enabling the port with fast and free public Wi-Fi. As one of the country’s busiest terminals, reliable connectivity is essential for the thousands that pass through the port daily. With Smart WiFi, more people will now be able to communicate easily, even while in transit—a must in today’s dynamic and connected world.”
Likewise, the said partnership also aims to improve the facilities and amenities of the port—better catering to the comfort and customer experience of its sea passengers. With the PLDT Group boasting of the country’s most expansive fiber optic backbone, which today spans over 300,000 km nationwide, users of the service can always be assured of seamless and reliable connectivity.
Representatives from PLDT-Smart, Philippine Ports Authority and Cagayan de Oro City LGU led by Mayor Oscar Moreno, Ben Melasa of PLDT Enterprise and Jessica Angeles of PPA witnessed the ceremonial firing up of Smart WiFi at the Port of Cagayan de Oro
“We are happy to partner with PLDT and Smart in bringing world-class connectivity to the world-class Port of Cagayan de Oro and ensuring that travelers going through our passenger terminal have access to a fast and reliable Wi-Fi connection,” said Jessica Angeles, Philippine Ports Authority manager.
The fast and free public Wi-Fi service will also be rolled out to other high foot traffic venues across Cagayan de Oro such as the Provincial Capitol of Misamis Oriental, Lifestyle District of One Providence, Cagayan Town Center, Robinsons Cagayan de Oro, and Liceo de Cagayan.
With this partnership, the local government of CDO joins other members of the public sector—namely, the LGU of San Fernando, Pampanga, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and Land Transportation Office (LTO)—which already have existing Smart WiFi services in place.
“As the country’s leading ICT and digital services provider, we believe ourselves to be in the business of nation-building, which is why we remain keen on partnering with the public sector to improve the lives and welfare of our countrymen,” said Smart President & CEO and PLDT Chief Revenue Officer Al Panlilio.
“We are thankful to be joining hands with the local government of Cagayan de Oro and we hope that the deployment of our services will help further spur economic activity in the region” Panlilio added.
