PLDT, Smart activate quick response teams as tropical cyclone brews east of Mindanao

PLDT and Smart have activated quick response teams to ensure customers remain connected all throughout as the tropical depression outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) east of Mindanao continues to approach the southern Philippine region. 

PLDT and Smart have prepositioned personnel, back-up power supply and network equipment to be deployed at a moment’s notice to sites that may be damaged by the cyclone.  

Smart’s Libreng Tawag (free call) stations are also on standby. They are ready to be sent to areas that will be heavily impacted by the cyclone. In the interest of public safety, operations of these facilities will commence once the storm has passed.  

The tropical depression will be named ‘Odette’ once it enters PAR. PAGASA expects the cyclone to gradually intensify and possibly reach typhoon category by Wednesday before making landfall in Eastern Visayas or Caraga on Thursday. The state weather bureau sees the storm cutting across the middle portion of the country bringing heavy rainfall in the Visayas, large portions of Mindanao and several provinces in Southern Luzon. 

PLDT and Smart urge everyone to take necessary precautions, prepare emergency packs, charge mobile phones and power banks, and ensure enough load credits. PLDT and Smart advise the public to heed the alerts and warnings of local governments and disaster response authorities. The two companies are ready to extend assistance to response and rescue teams in areas that will be affected by the storm.  

All these efforts are part of PLDT and Smart’s #SafePH advocacy, which promotes preparedness and immediate response through network resilience, continuous availability of communication services, mobile solutions and activities, and relief assistance to help communities mitigate disaster risks.