Smart Sustains Support to Negros’ Fight vs. COVID

Smart is sustaining its support to frontliners, private and government agencies in Negros Occidental, with its Distributor Sales and Regional Marketing Teams providing vital tools to boost efforts in the province to control the spread of Covid-19.

Through its regional marketing arm, in cooperation with provincial distributor Purplehearts Dist Inc., Smart has been providing communication support that boost contact tracing, educational materials that help inform and encourage the public on what to do, and to fight fake news.

Since the imposition of the community quarantine, Smart deployed and posted banners bearing safety reminders in the cities of Bacolod, Bago and Kabankalan, said Jessa Salazar of Smart’s regional marketing group.

Such banners remind the public, in text and graphics, to often wash hands, wear facemask, practice physical distancing, cover mouth when coughing, and to go outside the house only when needed.

Other banners provided by Smart also give out contact numbers of health and other agencies involved in managing the pandemic. Others are bearing how-to’s for Covid-related concerns.

The the leading telco in the country also deployed tents in select checkpoints all over Negros, as well as other necessary banners, said Smart Trade Marketing’s Grace Ruperto.
Also tents for frontliners, wifi devices for connectivity in various quarantine centers, and special number phone lines, deployment of tents in select checkpoints all over Negros.
Smart, also through its Distributor Sales and Regional Marketing Teams and in cooperation with its provincial distributor Purplehearts Dist Inc., has extended communications support to the Philippine College of Physicians (PCP) – Negros Occidental Chapter.

It turned over pre-loaded SIMs to the physician group’s CovTrac contact-tracing teams.

At the turnover ceremonies were Dr. Lionel Geolingo, MD FPCP, and Dr. Michael Thomas Salvador, MD FPCP of PCP – Negros Occ. and Smart representatives Ed Tinio (Cluster Head), Allan Luna (Area Head), Roland Amar (Smart Store Manager), and CDM Madz Tabucao.

“Thank you Smart for donating pre-loaded SIM cards to be used by our contact-tracing teams,” said Dr. Salvador of PCP.
Tinio, on his part said, “we are one with the Philippine College of Physicians-Negros Occidental Chapter in their fight against Covid, and we are happy to be able to help their CovTrac contract tracing team by providing their communication needs.”

 

IN NEGROS ORIENTAL
Smart’s sustained support in the fight against Covid-19, and in boosting efforts to enable the students to get connected to their school, is also acknowledged in Negros Oriental.
Among its other undertakings in NegOr is its partnership with Silliman University (SU) in Dumaguete City where it gave free prepaid pocket wifi bundles to 100 scholars, in a turnover ceremony at SU’s Oriental Hall Thursday.

The Office of Students Services (OSS), headed by dean of students Dr. Edna Gladys T. Calingacion, in charge of distributing the bundles to the scholars, and other SU officials received the bundles. She said they chose the scholars who are most in need of financial assistance.
“We will deliver these to scholars living in Dumaguete, Sibulan and Bacong. As for scholars outside those areas, we plan to coordinate with our alumni in other parts of the country who can help distribute the bundles,” Calingacion said.

Each bundle includes a Smart Bro Prepaid LTE Pocket Wifi and a 250 Surfmax card.

Also at the turnover were Lois Olladas, member of the SU Student Government (SUSG) Dorm Life Committee representing the students; Jane Annette L. Belarmino, vice president for development; and Christine Undang, Smart provincial distributor operations manager.

Also attending were Kathleen Kate L. Hadraque, Student Organizations and Activities Division (SOAD) staff; Fr. Jaruvic C. Rafols, Guidance and Testing Division head; Rhodora T. Sagun, Scholarships and Aid Division (SSAD) head; Rev. Wella H. De Rosas, Student and Campus Chaplaincy minister; Abe P. Cadeliña, SOAD head; Princeton E. Apura, Student Housing and Residence Division head; and Aileen G. Ralo, SSAD staff.

Other than its direct support to the efforts against Covid-19, Smart and its subsidiary TNT have boosted their call, text and data signal and reach in the entire Negros Island by deploying more LTE-capable cellsites even in the remote areas.