PLDT Enterprise fully commits to helping future-proof today’s e-industries

At over 25 weeks in quarantine, our habits and behavior have changed drastically. In response to this, several essential industries have turned to digital transformation in order to better address customer and industry needs. 

Last September 9, PLDT Enterprise held its latest Tech Talk On Air, “Technological advancements at work fueling the growth and development of e-industries today,” where PLDT and other industry leaders presented the digital solutions they brought in response to the problems of the e-industry ecosystem, dubbed by PLDT as “eWorld,” today. 

ePLDT President and CEO Jovy Hernandez reiterated this in his opening statement, “Key movers and shakers from key industries have transformed their operations in less than half a year, allowing these sectors to emerge as e-industries. These industries – namely eLearning, eBanking, eCommerce, eGovernment, and eHealth sectors – have set an all-new standard for how we, as a society, can expect and demand service.”

In showing these new standards and innovations, PLDT allowed the CEOs and other e-industry participants to see that digital transformation is possible, from small efforts like digitizing communication to industry-wide evolution. 

“Together with our partners and customers,” Jovy Hernandez stressed, “we have identified solutions that have allowed them to reinvent the wheel, and effectively develop tips and solutions that better cater to the needs of society today.”

eLearning

Vic Tria, PLDT Enterprise Revenue Group Head, talked about one of the most affected industries today—the academe. According to Tria, the “no learner left behind” motto by PLDT chairman Manuel Pangilinan, is both “a challenge to us, and a promise to our customers.”

Part of PLDT’s e-learning support are the Gabay Guro program in partnership with DepEd and product packages like Giga Study Anywhere, Microsoft For Education, and Beyond Fiber. Through ePLDT, the group has deployed over 250,000 Microsoft For Education licenses for schools nationwide.

eBanking

Another industry drastically transformed by the pandemic is the banking industry. While globally, digital transactions increased by a mere 26%, in the Philippines, the Paymaya app consumer-volume increased 2.5 times, online bills payment more than 3 times, and digital government transactions more than 10 times. 

As PLDT Tech Talk on Air host, Danie Laurel said, “Cash was once king to us Filipinos pre-pandemic, but we have to evolve and adapt during the short span of time, which now puts more dependence on connectivity and security.”

In response to this, Jojo Gendrano, First Vice President & Head of Enterprise Core Business Solutions, saw the Philippine e-banking sector’s opportunity to grow, “According to the latest global web index report, the Philippines is above the global average when it comes to digitally transferring money to family and friends, but are below the global curve when it comes to using mobile payment services.” 

Gendrano stressed PLDT’s role in improving user experience and cybersecurity in its commitment to support the growth of the e-banking industry.

eCommerce

On the side of the e-commerce discussion, Nico Alcoseba, Vice President & Head of ICT Business of PLDT Enterprise, emphasized the present problems that businesses face. “It took a pandemic to make it happen, but indeed, our values and priorities have been irreversibly reshaped. Consumption behavior has also shaped in tandem, and e-commerce is at the front and center of the social shift.”

The rise of e-commerce has been life-saving for many jobs and businesses. To this, PLDT gives in-store and brick-and-mortar businesses four essential tips for transitioning online. 

First, there has to be an omnichannel system supported by the data privacy act for the sake of the consumer. Tying into that customer-first mindset, front-end, back-end, and far-end should all be connected so that customers can go from purchase to payment to delivery in a matter of a few clicks. Third, the idea of store hours should be changed to “my time” hours and system up-time should be prioritized. Last but most importantly, security is a priority. PLDT promises to play their role in this.

eGovernment

During this time of health and economic crisis, citizens look towards the government for guidance. In response to this, PLDT Enterprise is an active participant, advocate, and contributor to the government services of the future. 

John Gonzales, Vice President and Head of Enterprise Digital Solutions, summarized the efforts of PLDT with partners Multisys and Paymaya, “We have successfully deployed solutions to support critical services like e-government applications and kiosks, online payment gateways, citizen ID and community applications, command center solutions, contact center systems, CCTV surveillance solutions, traffic management, temperature sensors, smart WiFi on certain public centers, work-from-home solutions, emergency 911 dispatch systems, as well as cybersecurity and data privacy services.”

Aside from this, PLDT is also steadily working towards a vision of a Smart City, where everything will be digital and thus, easier for Filipinos. 

eHealthcare

Healthcare is simply an aspect of life that we cannot compromise, but because of the pandemic, many Filipinos have been putting off their regular health appointments or even avoid going to the doctor altogether. In response to this, PLDT vowed to be an active participant in the rise of quality healthcare during and post-pandemic. 

Mitch Locsin, PLDT Enterprise Revenue Group Head, first opened the topic of e-healthcare with the numbers, “Locally, our healthcare system is crippled by many difficulties. Even pre-pandemic, we already had an estimated shortage of 23,000 nurses. COVID-19 aggravated the situation further as 1800 healthcare workers were infected by the virus.”

Telemedicine was a big factor to ease patient access to their doctors, and initially seen as a temporary solution, PLDT then realized that this was the way of the future. Through the telemedicine applications, they were able to observe patient journey. 

Through the data they gathered, Mitch Locsin teased an app that uses AI technology in order to streamline patient transactions. When the app is launched, they hope not only to reach the big names and industries, but also to bring this application to the barangay-level, as “the goal, after all, is to make the digital shift as inclusive as possible.”

This Tech Talk on Air episode didn’t only tackle possible plans for the future, PLDT fully committed to creating practical solutions and achieving ambitious goals in order to make the lives of Filipinos better than ever. 

To learn more, watch the live recording of the episode below:

– Rappler.com