Through the IDEATe program—Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Advocacy through Technology—PLDT and its wireless division, Smart, are providing chances for employment for those with disabilities. The two businesses also aid those who are visually impaired in making the most of their smartphones to help them with daily tasks.
Around thirty participants with various disabilities in Dasmariñas City, Cavite, attended a course on Digital Business Basics taught by ATRIEV, a premier non-profit organization specializing in ICT and empowering visually impaired people through technology-enabled assistive programs. The participants learned how to start and grow their livelihood using technology and social media. The course was organized by the PLDT Group. Branding, reaching out to the target market, finding funding, pricing, and costs were among the topics covered. Financial literacy and social media marketing were also covered in the curriculum.
Catherine Tomas, a 41-year-old online seller with orthopedic disability, acknowledges the importance of technology, “Social media platforms help expand our reach. New technologies can level up our business.”
Ricardo Meneses, Jr., a 53-year-old father who was born with polio, looks forward to opening his own junk shop, “I am grateful that I learned how to write emails. It will be more convenient to schedule pick-ups with my customers.”
Maya, the all-in-one digital bank, also gave attendees an overview of the many payment processing options it provides for small and medium-sized enterprises.
In Valenzuela City, PLDT and Smart also hosted a different IDEATe lecture on the Android Accessibility Suite. The free session, which was led by ATRIEV and largely attended by people with visual impairment, covered how to utilize a TalkBack screen reader to operate Android devices.
The NORFIL Foundation/Liliane Fonds and Voice Philippines, two development partners, as well as the Persons with Disability Affairs Office of Dasmarinas City in Cavite and the DepEd School Division Office of Valenzuela, support these training programs.
The IDEATe initiatives are in line with PLDT and Smart’s pledge to support the nation’s efforts to realize UNSDG No. 10, which aims to reduce inequality by empowering people and encouraging their social, economic, and political inclusion, including those who have disabilities. Additionally, they highlight the PLDT Group’s dedication to innovation and digital inclusiveness as well as its willingness to support the government’s major digitization initiatives. The PLDT Group is a founding member of the Presidential Private Sector Advisory Council, or PSAC, and its Digital Infrastructure pillar.
