PLDT Inc (PLDT) is strengthening its support for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) pursuing extensive digital transformation. This commitment is being executed through PLDT’s B2B division, PLDT Enterprise.
During a panel discussion at the recent launch of the GoDigital Pilipinas (GDP) Movement in La Union, Euan Toralballa, PLDT Enterprise Head for Small and Micro Business said, “We can talk about our reliable and resilient networks, or how much bandwidth we can offer a business, but when it comes to microbusiness, we have to be straightforward in our approach. In the end, it’s about more than just the connectivity. It’s about what is enabled by that connectivity”.
Toralballa also added, “While connectivity can provide them with the basic digital functions like social media, fintech tools, and e-Governance platforms – connectivity is actually more than that. It also gives them access to upskilling and training, capital and financing, for example.”
PLDT Enterprise also helps in aiding businesses looking for more innovational solutions like cloud computing, Artificial Intelligence and Internet of Things, and services like colocation and data centers. With this, he also said, “For that, connectivity alone is very empowering it gives MSMEs all these tools that can help them hyperdigitalize their business”.
To finish, Euan Toralballa said, “Given that the microbusinesses are the life force of the economy, connectivity is actually the red thread that binds us all together”.
GDP, an initiative of the Presidential Private Sector Advisory Council’s Digital Infrastructure pillar, aims to bridge the digital divide by promoting digital literacy and building a sustainable digital ecosystem. Alfredi S. Panlilio, the President and CEO of PLDT, is one of the founding members of PSAC under the Digital Infrastructure pillar.
PLDT and Smart, through their integrated fixed and wireless networks, support the connectivity and digital solutions needs of businesses nationwide. By the end of March 2023, PLDT had expanded its entire fiber network to over 1.1 million kilometers, including both international and domestic fiber. This fiber infrastructure also enables Smart’s 3G, 4G/LTE, and 5G networks, which reach 97 percent of the country’s population.
The ongoing efforts of PLDT and Smart to enhance their integrated networks contribute to the PLDT Group’s mission to provide connectivity for all and align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal No. 9 – Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure.