PLDT Enterprise and wireless subsidiary Smart Communications, recently partnered with the Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) to launch Smart Online Store for their students, faculty, staff, and alumni.
The PLDT Group strongly supports the education sector with technology and solutions to help students and teachers cope with the challenges of the pandemic. The launch of Smart Online Store for Ateneo is part of the group’s goal to help enable schools and universities with technology solutions for the benefit of both the educators and students.
The Smart Online Store is an e-commerce site which gives the Ateneo community an opportunity to buy and avail exclusive Smart data and connectivity plans and products. All students, faculty, staff and alumni of Ateneo across the university’s four campuses in Loyola, Salcedo, Makati and Pasig can now purchase Smart Prepaid products such as load cards and electronic loads in several denominations at special rates. Connectivity devices such as Smart Bro Prepaid and PLDT Home WiFi are also available at the online store.
“The Ateneo de Manila University is one of the most prestigious learning institutions in the country. PLDT and Smart have long been partnering with ADMU on their endeavors for the academe. This latest partnership underscores the synergy between PLDT Group’s efforts to promote and expand eLearning, and Ateneo’s own programs and platforms in this area. The ADMU Smart Online Store will further strengthen Ateneo’s digital ecosystem,” said Alfredo S. Panlilio, PLDT Inc. and Smart Communications President and CEO.
Fr Bobby Yap, President of the Ateneo de Manila University said “We very much appreciate this additional partnership with PLDT and Smart. The ADMU Smart Online Store is a first among Ateneo schools, and the idea of having Smart Prepaid Services available to the community in an exclusive platform is aligned with the university’s continuous digital transformation.”
The ADMU Smart Online Store will be beneficial to the members of the ADMU community who are enrolled in the Smart Giga Study program. Since ADMU is paying for the load of scholars and employees who are using Giga Study, they can alternatively buy prepaid loads from the online store when necessary. Smart Giga Study offers a range of prepaid data packs aimed at giving students simpler access to any website plus a bonus of 2GB learning apps and productivity tools per day.
Rudy Ang, VP for Admin and Information Systems of ADMU said “ADMU purchases monthly load distribution to our scholars and employees enrolled under the Smart Giga Study program. And the new ADMU Smart Online Store now makes it much easier for us to implement this essential program for e-learning in the new normal.”
Smart Bro Prepaid, load cards, and electronic loads are among the most popular and widespread Smart prepaid products in use by students, particularly during this time of the pandemic, with e-learning efforts requiring constant topping-up of load for communications and learning devices.
Jovy Hernandez, ePLDT President & CEO and SVP & Head for PLDT and Smart Enterprise Business Groups, noted that “We at PLDT Enterprise remain steadfast in our commitment to support the academe sector with our services and equip Filipino students with the connectivity they need, and we would like to thank Ateneo de Manila University for allowing us to develop this initiative that will strengthen their e-Learning efforts.”
The group-wide push for supporting education underscores the commitment of PLDT and Smart to help the Philippines attain the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs), particularly SDG #4: Quality Education as a foundation in improving people’s lives and obtaining sustainable development.
“Smart continues to help educators and students adapt to challenges posed by the coronavirus crisis. The ADMU Smart Online Store is an innovative platform that offers the Ateneo community access to Smart products and services tailored for the new normal of learning. These tools ensure that Ateneans are enabled to live smarter as they help build a better world,” said Jane Basas, SVP and Head of Consumer Wireless Business at Smart.