More than communication, a lifeline

MANILA, Philippines - “Ondoy” has confirmed it: the cellphone is truly a vital part of any survival kit.

As floodwaters rose to unprecedented levels and terrified residents of low-lying areas in Metro Manila and surrounding provinces clambered up their rooftops for their lives, distress calls were being sent out via mobile phones. In many instances, this was the only means of communication that remained working, as electric and telephone services were disrupted in entire cities and towns. And in most disaster areas, only Smart and PLDT wireless connected. 

Honey Ilusorio, who went to Cainta and Provident Village to help rescue close friends and relatives, notes that most people were unable to take much when they fled their homes, “but almost everyone brought a cellphone.” 

By Saturday afternoon, a movie-TV actress had become the face (voice) of the typhoon victims, as she sobbed to broadcasters interviewing her on her mobile phone from the rooftop of her house in Marikina, where she had sought refuge with other family members.

After the public recovered from the initial shock and began mobilizing for rescue and relief operations, the cellphones once again provided reliable assistance for organization and coordination.

Ilusorio recounts: “The only phones that worked 90 percent of the time during our operations were Smart and PLDT wireless.”

Smart immediately set up Libreng Tawag centers in these hard-hit areas and later, in San Mateo and Montalban in Rizal, Arayat in Pampanga, and Lambakin and Marilao in Bulacan. 

Victims from these areas were able to contact relatives and recharge their cellphone batteries. Those who needed medical help were attended to in clinics set up beside the free-calls booths by PLDT Medical Services, Makati Medical Center, and Cardinal Santos Medical Center. 

Relief goods were also distributed at the centers by the PLDT-Smart Foundation, with the help of employees of PLDT, Smart and Tollways Management Corp.

“Salamat sa Libreng Tawag ng Smart. Natawagan ko ang pamangkin ko sa Mandaluyong. Susunduin na nila kami. Salamat (By availing of Smart’s free calls, we were able to contact my niece who is now on their way to pick us up. Thank you),” says Gemma Despabiladeras of Cainta. 

Although 1,081 of its base stations in Metro Manila were down due to floods and power shortage, Smart was able to restore about 93 percent of its service in the hard-hit areas of Marikina, Pasig, Antipolo, Cainta, and other towns in Rizal in just three days, and continues to work to improve communication services to its subscribers.