PLDT Inc. said it is expediting efforts to provide full internet connectivity to all state universities in the Philippines by 2025.
The company’s initiative aligns with ongoing collaboration with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to promote digital inclusion in education and the Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) to expand internet access in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs).
The PLDT Group, through its corporate business unit PLDT Enterprise, activated 1,000 Wi-Fi hotspots across 220 public higher education institutions (HEIs) in 60 provinces, providing critical internet access for students and educators since 2022.
PLDT chief operating officer Menardo Jimenez Jr. underscored the importance of sustaining and expanding these efforts to ensure that digital education remains accessible and uninterrupted.
“Continued support is necessary to maintain this transformative initiative,” Jimenez said.
“We are calling for renewed efforts to make digital education accessible in all state universities by 2025. This vision aligns with the advocacy of our chairman, Manny V. Pangilinan, who has long been a champion of initiatives that promote education and digital transformation for Filipinos,” he said.
Expanding connectivity in HEIs supports PSAC’s broader push for digital inclusion, where PLDT is among the founding members of the digital infrastructure sector along with its wireless arm Smart Communications Inc.
Lead convenor Sabin Aboitiz, sector head Myla Villanueva and the collaboration of local telcos at PSAC will be pivotal in steering digitalization efforts, which include the planned activation of key GIDA sites starting this year.
“Through this collaboration, we are shaping a future where all students, regardless of location, have access to the tools they need to succeed in a digital world,” Jimenez said.
PLDT Group’s efforts in advancing digital inclusion extend beyond higher education to support younger students, particularly in underserved communities.
Its School-in-a-Bag portable digital classrooms promote resilient and inclusive learning environments across the country, benefiting over 600 schools, 11,000 educators, and 116,000 students as schools opened for the current academic year, including GIDA beneficiaries.
