PLDT Inc. and its wireless unit Smart Communications have renewed their 21-year partnership with Holy Cross of Davao College (HCDC) under the Smart Wireless Engineering Education Program (SWEEP), aiming to equip students in Mindanao with skills in emerging technologies.
The partnership, first established in 2004 with the turnover of a Smart Wireless Laboratory, has provided students with hands-on training and mentorship in telecommunications and evolving digital tools. The lab has been regularly updated to reflect new technology trends, from analog systems to artificial intelligence.
The new memorandum of agreement was signed during HCDC’s 74th founding anniversary. As part of the event, Smart conducted an AI workshop for faculty, focusing on responsible integration of AI in teaching and mentoring.
PLDT and Smart said the program has so far trained 407 faculty members and students from various SWEEP partner schools across the country. Company executives said the initiative promotes a culture of innovation while supporting the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals on education and sustainable communities.
HCDC president Brother Noelvic Deloria said the collaboration strengthens the school’s mission of preparing students to become “efficient and effective agents of social transformation.”
