While cellular service are being slowly restored in typhoon Yolanda affected areas in the Visayas (specifically Samar, Leyte and Cebu), all the national carriers have banded together to offer free local and international SMS to subscribers in those areas.
We received information from Smart’s Public Affairs Group announcing such move:
To help the communities severely affected by Super Typhoon Yolanda, the country’s three mobile phone operators – Globe Telecom, Smart Communications, and Sun Cellular – have agreed to provide 25 free SMS per day for five days that may be used for local and international text messages.
For Smart and Sun, all subscribers within the covered areas will automatically receive the free SMS allocation every day. The offer is also available for Smart & Sun’s subscribers in Palawan.
Here’s a similar release sent to us by Globe Telecom:
To help the communities severely affected by Super Typhoon Yolanda, the country’s three mobile phone operators — Globe Telecom, Smart Communications, and Sun Cellular are jointly offering 25 free SMS per day for five days that may be used for local and international messages. This will be available to all their customers in the provinces of Leyte, Samar, Cebu, Aklan, Antique, and Capiz fromNovember 13 to 17.
“This free service is open to all Globe and TM subscribers in these Visayas provinces. This is the company’s way of giving assistance to our customers who suffered from the typhoon’s onslaught and who need to reach out to their family and friends in the country and abroad,” said Peter Bithos, Chief Operating Advisor for Globe Consumer Business Group.
“This is a time for Filipinos to come together and help our countrymen in their hour of great need. This joint effort will help Smart, Sun Cellular and Talk ‘N Text subscribers in the typhoon-struck areas to communicate with their loved ones at home and abroad,” said Charles Lim, Executive Vice President of Smart and Chief Operating Officer of Digitel Mobile Philippines.
The three operators came to this unprecedented agreement in response to the extreme devastation caused by the super typhoon. They are also working to restore their respective services and assist emergency relief activities of the government and humanitarian agencies.
For Globe and TM customers in the affected Visayas provinces, the free service can be availed by texting BangonPinoy to 8888.
This is one of those rare occasion where our local competing telcos banded together for a good cause.
25 load
si abuzalzal pupunta tacloban yan para maka pag text ng libre LOL
nice move kaso ang problema naman is majority wala pa ring kuryente di makapag charge.
this is actually good, however, im not sure if those really hard-hit by the calamity will benefit. for one, i dont think most of them were able to keep their communication units. and i believe, not most of them will be able to remember the contact numbers of their relatives.
better i think if these telcos will provide financial aid or basic commodities. i think that’s more practical.
just my opinion though.
good vibes everyone! let us all help our brothers and sisters.
Both telcos actually do, they have relief and community-based programs whenever a situation like this happen. We just don’t know it because it doesn’t always get the media’s attention.
…and if they do get attention, others will call it paid publicity.
ung mga barangay na may generator at mga cellphone pede silang maginitiate ng libreng text,gasolina lng ang gagastusin nila sa load wala na o diba malaking tulong na un tska im sure naman na karamihan eh may naaalalang phone number kahit isa
sir can u please specify the specific provinces(if u have that data)?
Nice move telcos…
Maliit na portion lang yan ng kita nyo sa araw araw pero napakalaking tulong na yan sa mga kababayan natin sa Visayas…