PLDT, Smart Commit Anew to Disaster Preparedness, as PH Braces for More Climate Emergencies

The Philippines enters another year marked by increasingly complex climate risks, and the PLDT Group continues to strengthen the country’s disaster resilience through sustained efforts in emergency communications and community preparedness.

Anchored on a proactive mindset, initiatives of PLDT Inc. and its wireless unit Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) focus on equipping local governments and communities with the tools, training, and technology needed to respond effectively to emergencies.

From response to readiness

As disaster risks continue to evolve and intensify, the Group continues to shift its efforts toward readiness—building capabilities before emergencies strike and reinforcing coordination during and after crises. This approach integrates resilient communications infrastructure with practical, community-based action, underscoring preparedness as a shared responsibility.

In support of nationwide preparedness efforts of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), PLDT and Smart actively participated in initiatives such as the Nationwide Simultaneous Earthquake Drill (NSED), conducting safety exercises, evacuation procedures, and medical and fire response drills across offices and facilities. These activities help ensure that employees are equipped to respond effectively while reinforcing a culture of safety within the organization.

Keeping communication lines open when they matter most

At the core of PLDT and Smart’s disaster resilience efforts is connectivity—often the first lifeline during emergencies. The Group continues to invest in strengthening network resilience and deploying emergency communication solutions to help ensure the flow of critical information, even when power and commercial networks are disrupted.

Among these initiatives is the deployment of the Ligtas Kit, an all-in-one emergency communications packages equipped with charging stations, solar panels, and essential connectivity devices. These kits are distributed to high-risk local government units to provide communication services during disasters. The PLDT Group has deployed 61 Ligtas Kits to date.

Complementing these are Emergency Communications Training (ECT) sessions conducted nationwide for LGU officials and disaster responders, enhancing technical readiness, coordination, and the effective use of emergency communication tools. In 2025, PLDT and Smart collaborated with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF) in developing Emergency Communications Plans for 16 DICT regional offices, demonstrating strengthened and standardized coordination and readiness.

PLDT and Smart also continue to roll out communications-as-aid support during major typhoons and emergencies, which included free calling, charging and wifi services, and connectivity assistance in disaster-hit communities. These efforts helped affected residents reach loved ones, access information, and coordinate aid during critical moments.

SafePH: Bringing preparedness to communities

Through SafePH caravans, the Group delivers practical resilience education directly to barangays, covering hazard awareness, family preparedness, and basic survival tips. Mounted in partnership with the Group’s Business Continuity and Resilience Office, local government units, and local community leaders, the capacity-building sessions focused on coordinated response and emergency communications.

In 2025, PLDT and Smart brought the SafePH caravan to Nasugbu, La Union and Zamboanga, helping build community awareness, confidence, and readiness to ensure that local responders and residents are better equipped to act when emergencies arise.

The structured training initiative culminated in the certification of 656 members from various community and local government units, highlighting multi-sectoral coordination and integrated the use of communications technology in response scenarios.

“Disaster resilience is built through preparation, partnerships, and people,” said Roby A. Alampay, First Vice President and Head of Public Engagement at PLDT and Smart. “By strengthening emergency communications, working closely with government and local responders, and bringing preparedness directly to communities, we aim to ensure that connectivity truly serves as a lifeline—before, during, and after disasters.”
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As the year opens, PLDT and Smart reaffirm their long-standing commitment to disaster resilience—strengthening both technological readiness and community capability. Through sustained partnerships, communication-as-aid, and continuous capacity building, the PLDT Group continues to help communities across the Philippines prepare, respond, and recover—together.