Fresh from the successful hosting of FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 and as a staunch supporter of sports development in the Philippines, PLDT Inc. (PLDT) and its wireless unit Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) are rooting for the Filipino athletes who are competing in the 19th Asian Games happening in Hangzhou, China from September 23 to October 8, 2023.
“We are one with the nation in supporting our national athletes as they represent the country in this international event. They inspire generations of Filipinos by serving the country through sports. We are eager to see our athletes shine as we witness their hard work and discipline bear fruit in this competition,” said Jude H. Turcuato, Head of Sports at PLDT and Smart, and Executive Director at MVP Sports Foundation (MVPSF).
Sports initiatives of PLDT, Smart, and other companies chaired by business leader and PLDT Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan are centralized under MVPSF. From basketball to badminton, gymnastics, weightlifting, esports and many others, the organization has been empowering 17 National Sports Agencies, backing hundreds of athletes, and contributing to nation-building through sports advocacy since 2011. Through MVPSF, PLDT and Smart have also built several sports centers for training of Filipino athletes, particularly in gymnastics, badminton, and boxing. Smart has also been a sponsor of the Philippine Esports Organization (PESO), the national sports agency behind esports and SIBOL, since its establishment. The telco has also been a key figure in the development of the esports community in the country – from national athletes, professional and casual gamers, stakeholders, and fans.
Team Pilipinas is set to field its delegation to the Asian Games, led by flag bearers Olympians EJ Obiena (Pole Vault) and Margielyn Didal (Skateboarding), Hidilyn Diaz (Weightlifting), Carlo Paalam, Eumir Marcial, Nesthy Petecio, Irish Magno (Boxing), Filipinas (Women’s Football), SIBOL (Esports), and Gilas Pilipinas Men’s and Women’s teams (Basketball), along with other notable Filipino athletes who are set to compete in their respective sporting events.
Fans can support the national team by downloading and watching the games live via the Smart LiveStream App. Subscribers will only need to enter a valid Smart Prepaid or Postpaid or TNT mobile number to enjoy the service for free – no monthly subscription required. Upon registration, users will promptly receive an OTP code via SMS, which can be used to start enjoying the features of Smart LiveStream App on their smartphones. To enjoy the best experience watching the Asian Games online, customers can make the switch to Smart without changing their number via Mobile Number Portability. To switch to Smart, subscribers can visit x.smart/switch, head to the nearest Smart Store, or log in to the Smart App.
For a much more immersive viewing experience, Smart users may also stream the Asian Games on their Google-certified Android TV on Android 8.0 version by downloading the Smart LiveStream TV app from the Android TV Google Play Store and linking their Android TV to the Smart LiveStream Mobile App. To do this, subscribers simply have to open the Smart LiveStream Mobile App, go to Menu, click Link Device, and enable the camera to scan the QR code displayed on the Android TV.
Alternatively, Android TV users may go to smart.com.ph/livestream to sign into their account, then go to Menu, click Device Management to add their Android TV by entering the code displayed on the TV and activate their Smart LiveStream TV App.
Smart LiveStream App is powered by the Philippines’ Fastest and Best Mobile Network as recognized by Ookla, the global leader in mobile and broadband network intelligence. Smart is the first and only Philippine mobile operator to earn this prestigious and rare citation for three consecutive reporting periods by Ookla —Q1-Q2 2022, Q3-Q4 2022, and Q1-Q2 2023.