In celebration of the National Cooperative Month, PLDT and its wireless arm Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) rolled out capacity-building initiatives in Davao Occidental, Davao City, Cagayan de Oro City, and Misamis Oriental. Through the telco’s digital upskilling for livelihood program, eBizNovation, around 500 cooperative members leveled up their cybersecurity, bookkeeping, and e-commerce skills.
“Enabling cooperatives with technology and training and collaborating with other groups that champion these coops are some of the ways that we at PLDT and Smart can further drive our mission to improve the quality of life of Filipinos, particularly in the communities where we do business,” according to Judee Chaves, Mindanao Relations Head under Group Corporate Communications, at PLDT and Smart.
In collaboration with Tiktok Philippines and the provincial government of Davao Occidental, local cooperatives learned to create engaging online content and market their products via Tiktok Shop to boost their sales.
PLDT, Smart, CDA-10, and CDO LGU conducted an accounting and bookkeeping seminar to upskill Kagay-anon coops.
62-year-old participant Carlito Faelma said, “Our heartfelt gratitude goes to PLDT, Smart, Tiktok, and the provincial government of Davao Occidental for letting us learn how to improve our livelihood through technology. Because of this training, I recently discovered that Tiktok is not only used for fun but also for marketing.”
In Cagayan de Oro City, PLDT, Smart, the city government, the office of Councilor Imee Moreno, and the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) Region 10 worked together to conduct a bookkeeping seminar for Kagay-anon micro-coops. The training aimed to enhance the accuracy in producing financial reports and transparency among coops, enabling them to further thrive in the industry.
Meanwhile, cooperatives in Misamis Oriental and Davao City learned the fundamentals of protecting themselves and their businesses against online threats, through PLDT and Smart’s internet safety module.
“We are thankful to have found new partners in PLDT and Smart, who have the compassion to help our cooperatives. We look forward to more collaborations with them in our future learning sessions,” said Marissa Catubig, CDA’s Senior Cooperative Development Specialist.
PLDT and Smart underscore the value of uplifting businesses and industries, including MSMEs, through technology. This initiative is aligned with UNSDG # 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, and highlights the PLDT Group’s support for the government’s Go Digital Pilipinas Movement as a founding member of the Digital Infrastructure pillar of the Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC).
