PACU taps PLDT for e-learning

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities (PACU) has tapped PLDT Enterprise to support its 196 member schools’ transition to e-learning.

PLDT Enterprise will provide PACU’s member schools with Smart Giga Study plans and curated services for e-learning that can be customized for each learning institution and updated to keep pace with schools’ evolving needs.

“We are strong in our resolve to help enable schools provide high-quality education even during this time. We want to redefine the future of learning by providing the necessary digital tools and solutions that will address both the needs of the teachers and the students,” ePLDT president and CEO and SVP and head for PLDT and Smart Enterprise Business Groups Jovy Hernandez said.

The 196 member schools of PACU are among the learning institutions facing the challenge to shift to e-learning due to the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic to the education sector.

“We’re all going through an incredible change in our education processes these days. Our partnership with PLDT Enterprise will make the adjustment as painless as possible. We consider this partnership a smart investment in the future of education that can help us weather any future disruptions,” PACU president Carol Enriquez said.

PLDT Enterprise aims to redefine the future of learning through its continuous engagements with universities, colleges, schools and learning institutions across the country to ensure that no learner is left behind amid the pandemic.

Smart Communications president and CEO and PLDT chief revenue officer Alfredo Panlilio said the group is keen on addressing the requirements of 32 million students and 1.2 million teachers across about 8,000 schools in the country, which is why it has submitted an integrated proposal to the Department of Education (DepEd).

“One significant area that’s key to us is e-learning. We are developing an ecosystem that will hopefully address the requirement of the education industry,” Panlilio said.

“We have a proposal to DepEd – a very integrated proposal from not only PLDT and Smart, but the group – where it covers really a blended learning strategy encompassing modular, online TV, and DTH thru Cignal and also radio-based learning. So we will continue to push this and hopefully we’ll be able to close a deal with DepEd offering our services,” he said.

Smart’s Giga Study plans are especially developed prepaid packages that cater exclusively to the academe.

PACU member schools can also have access to a mobile broadband that comes bundled with devices and collaboration tools.