PLDT and its wireless unit Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) are already on standby with their mission-critical equipment and additional personnel ready to be deployed as Tropical Storm (TS) #PaengPH continues to move northwestward over the Philippine Sea.
PAGASA has forecasted TS ‘Paeng’ to intensify into a severe tropical storm by Saturday morning and may develop into a typhoon in the afternoon. ‘Paeng’ is expected to make its landfall in Catanduanes on Saturday and may also impact the provinces of Camarines Norte and Camarines Sur, portions of Aurora, and Polilio Islands, Quezon.
Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 2 has been issued over Catanduanes, Albay, Sorsogon, Masbate including Ticao and Burias Islands, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, central and southern portions of Quezon, Marinduque, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Samar, the northeastern portion of Leyte, and Biliran.
PLDT and Smart are in close coordination with the local government units of affected provinces, with their sales teams onsite. The Group have likewise prepared their facilities, ready with sufficiently fueled generator sets, in areas that may be impacted by TS ‘Paeng’.
The Group has also sent emergency load to its retailers and set up their Libreng Tawag (free calls) and Libreng Charging (free charging) stations, which are ready to commence operations anytime to serve the communication needs of impacted communities.
While there were no typhoon-related concerns reported in their satellite offices, PLDT and Smart’s network and operations teams have been on full alert since TS ‘Paeng’ entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility.
We urge everyone to take necessary precautions and heed the alerts and warnings of local governments and disaster response authorities.
#SafeandSmart
