The Department of Education has recognized PLDT and Smart as long-standing partners in improving the quality of education in the Philippines. Across the country, PLDT and Smart have helped learners and educators transition to the new normal of education whether schools opt for full on-site learning or hybrid mode where students alternate between face-to-face classes and distance learning.
PLDT and Smart FVP and Group Head of Corporate Communications Cathy Yang, and PLDT and Smart AVP and Head of Stakeholder Management Steph Orlino.
“The PLDT Group’s education programs bring learning to remote communities, even right inside the homes of students. These tools also aid schools as they transition from distance learning to on-site classes. These initiatives promote inclusive quality education, as part of our wider sustainability goals,” said Cathy Yang, FVP and Head of Group Corporate Communications at PLDT and Smart.
The PLDT Group has supported the DepEd’s efforts through its pandemic tested education initiatives like the Central Visayan Institute Foundation-Dynamic Learning Program (CVIF-DLP) that was developed by Ramon Magsaysay awardees Dr. Christopher Bernido and the late Dr. Maria Victoria Bernido. The CVIF-DLP encourages independent learning among students through extensive use of the CVIF-DLP Learning Activity Sheets (LAS) that help improve learner outcomes even with little to no teacher or parent intervention.
“CVIF-DLP provides learners with multiple learning opportunities through dynamic cognitive activities. Simplified activity-based learning sheets that focus on one topic make it easy for students to understand the lesson and answer the given problems on their own,” remarked Dr. Rebecca Pagcaliwagan, Principal IV- Conde Labac Integrated School, Batangas City.
In 2022, CVIF-DLP reached more than 400 schools and 19 municipalities around the nation via the series of CVIF-DLP Workshops conducted. CVIF-DLP has trained over 15,000 teachers since its inception in 2012.
While most schools have implemented face-to-face classes to some extent, students living in hard-to-access areas experience challenges in attending classes on-site. The PLDT Group is at the forefront of bringing learning to remote communities through its School-in-a-Bag (SIAB) project.
The portable digital classroom includes a laptop, a Smart Bro LTE Pocket WiFi with load credits, ten tablets, a teacher’s guide, and digital learning resources for elementary students. Each package also contains digital educational materials such as contextualized CVIF-DLP Learning Activity Sheets and 10 #LearnSmart apps that teach literacy and numeracy in the Mother Tongue.
Last year, PLDT and Smart, together with their partners, deployed 136 SIAB packages around the Philippines. Also in 2022, PLDT and Smart trained more than 2,000 teachers on how to maximize the portable digital classroom. Since the program’s launch, SIAB has reached more than 100,000 students across the nation.
“PLDT and Smart’s education programs help ensure that no learner is left behind. These methodologies work well with the DepEd’s delivery platforms,” said Stephanie Orlino, Assistant Vice President and Head of Stakeholder Management at PLDT and Smart.
The CVIF-DLP and SIAB highlight PLDT and Smart’s use of technology to empower and build bridges of collaboration across sectors and communities towards a sustainable future. Furthermore, PLDT and Smart create and support various educational initiatives in line with their commitment to helping the nation achieve the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals No. 4: Quality Education.
For inquiries about CVIF-DLP and SIAB, kindly send an email to learnsmart@smart.com.ph.##
