PLDT Inc. and its wireless unit Smart Communications Inc. have affirmed their commitment to national climate change strategies, outlining plans to strengthen infrastructure, transition to renewable energy and promote a just transition for their workforce.
The Philippines remains highly vulnerable to climate change impacts, prompting the telecommunications companies to align their operations with national strategies focusing on resilience, adaptive capacity and sustainable development.
Speaking at the 18th Global Warming and Climate Change Consciousness Week Solidarity Night, Climate Change Commission vice chairperson and executive director Robert Borje cited the importance of cooperation in mitigating climate change impacts that threaten economic growth.
“True resilience is not about how fast we can rebuild, but about how less we are broken,” he said.
PLDT and Smart chief sustainability officer Melissa Vergel de Dios detailed the telcos’ climate solutions. A primary focus is fortifying network infrastructure to withstand increasingly frequent and severe climate events, ensuring the continuity of critical telecommunications services during disasters.
Vergel de Dios explained the specific measures being taken. “Cell sites in the path of typhoons are being built to withstand over 300 kilometers per hour winds. In areas exposed to flood risk, we elevate gensets to higher floors. Our cable landing station in La Union is shaped like a bullet to deflect water from possible storm surges and tsunamis,” she said.
PLDT and Smart are also working to cut operational greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by transitioning to renewable energy (RE) sources. The companies are leveraging partnerships with RE suppliers and prioritizing the switch for high-energy consuming sites and facilities, including their main offices in Makati City and the VITRO data centers of PLDT’s ICT subsidiary, ePLDT.
The companies are also mainstreaming low-carbon digital products and greening their network by upgrading to fiber optic cables and 5G technology. While enabling faster internet speeds, these technologies are recognized for having lower energy consumption requirements and generated GHG emissions per unit of data traffic compared to older broadband infrastructure.
Vergel de Dios said PLDT and Smart are upskilling employees to acquire green skills, helping them adapt to the evolving climate economy and technology landscape that includes artificial intelligence (AI). The telcos are also upholding human rights and biodiversity policies that reinforce respect for indigenous peoples’ rights and support nature-based solutions.
The multi-faceted approach contributes to the Philippines’ Nationally Determined Contribution Implementation Plan, particularly the fourth pillar focused on engaging the private sector. Beyond national frameworks, the telcos support the Paris Agreement and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, specifically Goal 13 on Climate Action and Goal 17 on Partnerships for the Goals.
