For 74-year-old Narciso Cansino of Nonong in San Luis, Aurora Province, a ten-minute ride from the Aurora town capital of Baler, staying connected in a pandemic as a senior citizen has been key to staying safe and healthy.
"We were really happy to find out that we already have PLDT fiber in the area. We could now connect to fast and reliable internet from the safety of our homes," he said. "This has also enabled my son who is a nurse abroad to monitor my health. Even when he is far away, he could monitor my blood sugar, for example."
Prior to this, Narciso shared that his family found it difficult to contact him due to the scarce connectivity. Now, they are among thousands of Filipino families who have benefited from PLDT’s fiber network expansion in Central Luzon. The much-anticipated fiber connectivity in their neighborhood has also made online classes easier for his four grandchildren. "Even if they have simultaneous online classes, they could all connect with the help of fiber," he said. "The internet has made life so easy for our household. It lets me access YouTube and websites about health, religion and news about the pandemic. When we need something, we can easily go online to order things and have them delivered.”
As a senior citizen, Narciso has also turned to the internet to stay active and entertained. "I play online chess and attend online church services. Life is less lonely that way," he said, adding that while they used to have limited choices on local TV and radio for entertainment, these have been expanded now that they have access to online entertainment as well.
Fastest and preferred fiber network
In the first half of 2021, PLDT Home connected close to half a million new fiber customers, connecting 50% more homes on fiber than its nearest competitor.
PLDT continues to grow its fiber footprint in Central Luzon, approaching 100% presence across the region's cities and municipalities as of August, supporting the growth of subscribers in the area. PLDT is set to roll out fiber to cover more municipalities in the region this year.
PLDT’s relentless push to provide connectivity for all is aligned with the group’s long-standing commitment to help the Philippines attain the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG #9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure.