PLDT upholds entrepreneurship with "Negosyo Boost" packages

CEBU, Philippines - Following its success in Manila last month, PLDT SME Nation launches Negosyo Boost for the Small and Medium Enterprise owners in Cebu.

PLDT SME Nation business head for Visayas and Mindanao Nilo Bantilan said that Negosyo Boost was brought here because of Cebu’s rosy business industry and how the SMEs have played a vital role accounting for a huge portion of the entire business population in Cebu.

The Negosyo boost is a convenient way of handling the business through the help of both broadband connectivity and business-enabling hardware devices like netbooks and printers, Bantilan said.

He added that when people talk about their company, the perception is on telephone service, but they would want to change that and sending the message that they are also on helping out start-up businesses for example and finding ways to make their consumers lifestyle more convenient.

The Negosyo Boost is in line with the advocacy of the company to promote entrepreneurship through “practical, relevant, convenient, cost-effective and designed to help business owners grow their business from ground up.”

He said that they also wish to bring the business solutions to the rural areas aside from the cities. Bantilan said that in the municipalities and those far from the city, a lot of SMEs are also present and they aim to help them as well and they reach out also to the Local Government Units.  

During the launching, PLDT introduced three packages of the Negosyo Boost that was intended for SME players that offers good performance pegged at affordable prices.

Product Manager Christian Lim said the Negosyo Launch, Negosyo Advance and the Negosyo On-the-go are the three packages that entrepreneurs could choose from.

According to Lim, the different packages would vary with the scale of the businesses. He said that Negosyo Launch would be for start up SMEs and includes a PLDT myDSL BIZ, PLDT business landline, a Sylvannia UMPC netbook, and an HP 3-in1 printer.

Lim said that the Negosyo Advance could be for those businesses making a name for themselves and would be equipped with a PLDT myDSL biz, a WeRoam plan for wireless connectivity, a Sylvannia UMPC netbook and an HP 3-in-1 printer. Meanwhile, Negosyo On-the-Go are for businesses that are aiming to expand and would need the devices of the package which is a WeRoam plan, two PLDT landline plus and a Sylvannia UMPC netbook.

He explained that these packages could be availed for only P3,000 a month and P2,000 one time fee.

Anthony Fernandez, SME nation business head for Regional Luzon said that there have been over 450 SME owners in Manila alone that have availed of the packages since it was launched.

Through the Negosyo Boost, PLDT SME Nation’s aim in playing a role to help boost the economy and the livelihood of the people by increasing profitability and easing the business through reduction of costs is now being achieved. This would help more businesses, SME’s in particular to grow and expand, said the company’s representatives.

During the launching last August 14 at the Cebu International Convention Center, PLDT gave out a celebration with artists entertaining the hundreds of entrepreneurs who flooded the area as well as booths of SMEs found all over the area. — AJ de la Torre