PLDT, Smart and De La Salle Philippines launch e-Learning store

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Animo Smart Online Store allows faculty and students to avail PLDT Smart Exclusive plans


The country’s largest integrated telco PLDT, through its B2B arm PLDT Enterprise and wireless subsidiary Smart Communications, has recently fortified its pivotal partnership with De La Salle Philippines (DLSP) with the launch of Animo Smart Online Store to better support the digital learning needs of their students and teachers.

To continue empowering its students and faculty during this time, DLSP reached out to PLDT Enterprise to establish Animo Smart Online Store, an e-commerce site which gives its students and faculty an opportunity to buy and avail exclusive Smart data and connectivity plans and products.

DLSP is the network of Lasallian schools in the Philippines established to facilitate collaboration among the schools, which includes mission schools as well as universities and colleges. Together, PLDT Enterprise and Smart developed the said online store which will benefit over 80,000 students of DLSP as well as their faculty from 16-member schools to support their requirements for digital learning.

“Despite the challenges that we face, we believe that it is the right of our dear Filipino students to continue their education. And with the launch of Animo Smart Online store, we will enable thousands of students and teachers alike from the member schools of De La Salle Philippines with Smart and PLDT products that will support their digital learning wherever they are - so that no learner is left behind,” said Alfredo S. Panlilio, PLDT Chief Revenue Officer and Smart President and CEO.

PLDT Enterprise has been at the forefront of the academic sector. Amid the community quarantine, the group has initiated partnerships with the different networks of La Salle Philippines— from De La Salle University to De La Salle Lipa and De La Salle Dasmarinas—which have availed of various Smart Giga Study plans and Smart Bizload services to enable e-Learning for their students.

“We would like to thank De La Salle Philippines for entrusting us to develop this special solution that will strengthen their e-Learning initiatives,” said Jovy Hernandez, ePLDT President & CEO and SVP & Head for PLDT and Smart Enterprise Business Groups. “We at PLDT Enterprise remain steadfast in our commitment to support the academe sector with our services and we are confident that the Animo Smart Online Store will enable the members of DLSP with customized connectivity packages that are easy and convenient for their students to access.”

Animo Smart Online store delivers special offers and arrangements not available in the physical and regular online stores, including the automation of order, payment and delivery. Institutional discounts for individually-paid subscriptions of bona fide students, faculty and non-faculty staff of the 16-member schools will be provided. For the initial launch of Animo Smart, the focus will be on Pocket WiFi, Eload, SIMs and Load Cards.

“The Animo Smart online store is a convenient gateway for DLSP students and teachers to browse through Smart’s connectivity solutions. They will also enjoy exclusive discounts for prepaid load and wireless devices such as mobile phones and Smart Bro pocket WiFi. We’re also waiving shipping fees for purchases made at the Animo Smart online store,” said Jane Basas, SVP and Head of Consumer Business – Wireless at Smart. “Our partnership with DLSP shows our commitment to equip Filipino students with the connectivity they need to ensure that no learner is left behind in the new normal,” she added.

Edgar O. Chua, President of De La Salle Philippines, also gladly welcomed the partnership with PLDT and Smart. “For most of 2020, remote learning has been the norm and even when we start returning to pre-COVID 19, education will most likely continue to have a component of remote learning combined with face to face. As such, connectivity is so critical to enable the delivery of education now and into the future,” said Chua.

“The De La Salle network of schools is very happy to work with PLDT-SMART as they were extremely responsive and provided a very attractive partnership proposal including the Animo Smart Online Store. The partnership provides a one stop shop where the school and students can conveniently get everything that suits their need at prices that wouldn’t normally be available to them. Animo Smart Online Store has also given Lasallians a store they can identify with and be proud of,” he concluded.


For more information, visit pldtenterprise.com. 

#CrashLandingONEYou: CLOY Celebrates First Anniversary

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Crash Landing On You (CLOY) is our home; our warmth in the coldest of nights, a source of hope in the most uncertain times, the pillar that brought all of us closer than ever.

This show is the best gift to us fans so today, we will celebrate its love and light. 

Hyun Bin and Son Ye Jin thank you for portraying Ri Jeong Hyeok and Yoon Seri.

The solid North Korean squad we all loved and we all missed. CLOY is not complete without them! 

CLOY is MASTERPIECE! Happy 1st anniversary CLOY!

I have watched a lot of dramas after I watch CLOY, but no one can bring me the joy like CLOY did.

Does any other show have this legendary scene? absolutely not. which is why cloy = best drama, now and forever, no questions asked.

CLOY will always be one of my favorites and a real top-tier drama. This drama has it all; best OSTs, best leads, best story line, name it all. Words cannot even express how much I love CLOY.

Pressing that play button on Netflix was the best thing i've ever done; CLOY came into my life like a gift and i'm just grateful for that.

CLOY blessed us with Yejin's visuals and best outfits.

One thing that I really appreciate with CLOY was its portrayal of women.  

Almost all female characters (from the lead down to the ahjummas, from North to South Korean characters) were strong, independent, and influential.

Remember the days when celebrities and even politicians in the Philippines were hooked over CLOY and even posted their admiration about it on their social media 

Here are the some of many influencers 

It's been a year since we witnessed the overflowing chemistry of Captain Ri Jeong Hyuk and Yoon Seri.

The CLOY nation celebrates this special masterpiece that will always be first in our hearts.

Thanks Hyun Bin and Son Ye Jin. We have CLOY because you gave us CLOY. 

Next year, the year after that and even the one after I will always remember and cherish the gift that is CLOY. 

Just imagine the friendship they have built while doing the show and up to now, they are still friends and hanging out with each other. CLOY has the best casts and has the best nation. 

To all the people behind CLOY, kudos to all the great persons behind this series y'all deserve a round of applause and standing ovation. Thank you so much for creating this masterpiece.

Thanks CLOY for making my 2020 quarantine much better. 

For all the nights I spent awake alone in my living room.

For turning my family into a K-drama club. 

For making me cry and laugh.

Thanks CLOY for turning my life upside down.

EXACTLY ONE YEAR SINCE THE FIRST EPISODE AIRED, and yet it's still one of the most talked about Kdramas to date. 

CLOY is a masterpiece, top tier, a cultural reset and a drama that definitely dominated the world!

Happy #CrashLandingONEYou and to all CLOY stans/binjin moots!

TRB: More than 90% of transactions in toll roads now cashless

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Solutions to toll plaza congestion underway

More than ninety (90%) of transactions in the country’s toll roads were through radio frequency identification (RFID) sticker use, as a result of the implementation of the cashless transaction since 01 December 2020.

This was the report of the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB), led by TRB Executive Director (ED) Engr. Abraham Sales, in a virtual press briefing on 10 December 2020, headed by DOTr Road Transport and Infrastructure Assistant Secretary Mark Steven Pastor and other transport officials, including DOTr Road Sector Senior Consultant Engr. Alberto Suansing and TRB Board Member Raymundo Junia.

In the said briefing, ED Sales noted that based on the AutoSweep and Easytrip daily report, as of 08 December 2020, more than 3.7 million RFID stickers have been installed, compared to 1.4 million when the program just started.

ED Sales added that the improvement in penetration rate since 01 December 2020 showed that the majority of motorists are now using cashless transactions in passing through tollways.

“Nasa 80-90% ng payment transactions ay cashless or RFID. Ang ibig po sabihin, almost 100% na ng mga motoristang dumaraan sa tollways ay nakikipag-cooperate sa paggamit ng RFID,” he emphasized.

The TRB chief also noted that the number of motorists queuing daily for RFID installation is decreasing, from over 34,000 on 01 December to less than 28,000 on 08 December 2020.

"Ang latest na report po sa amin ay 27,906 on that day of December 8. Ang kahulugan po niyan, nakakuha na po [ng RFID] ang karamihan ng expressway users," TRB ED Sales pointed out.

Meanwhile, ED Sales said that transport secretary Arthur Tugade gave directives to ensure that the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) operator immediately implement various measures to resolve the implementation issues that caused congestion at its toll roads.

One measure is to remove the “emergency” signages, and convert these toll plaza lanes to either “Cash” or “RFID” lanes. Ambulances, law enforcement vehicles, and other emergency response vehicles will be allowed to pass through any lane.

Additionally, the barriers at the toll plazas should be removed during peak/rush hours to allow fast entry and movement of vehicles. Further study on the removal of barriers was also recommended. RFID and Cash lanes should be positioned in clusters to avoid confusion.

To reduce queuing, RFID installation sites at toll plazas should be removed. Stickering and reloading will be relocated in gasoline stations, malls, groceries, and other places frequented by motorists. For small tollgates with 2 to 3 lanes, RFID stickering lanes will be removed, and a cash lane maintained.

The toll operator has been instructed to consider increasing RFID sensor wattage from only 3 to 10 watts, within 15 days from December 9.

Further, the Karuhatan toll plaza configuration in Valenzuela (for NLEX) should be re-assessed, and a recommendation be submitted at the soonest time possible.

To help resolve general issues, Secretary Tugade further directed ED Sales to also relay the abovementioned recommended solutions to other toll operators, as well as the following:

1. Enhance traffic management and customer service assistance at toll plazas and approaches;
2. Intensify campaign and implementation of replacement of worn-out tags;
3. Expedite system’s hardware and software upgrading including data transmission and procurement of good quality RFID stickers; and
4. Continue and enhance the campaign to inform motorists to maintain sufficient load to avoid loading at the toll plazas.

To recall, the tollway operators were given until 02 November to implement cashless transactions at tollways. This was moved to 01 December 2020 to give motorists ample time to have RFID stickers installed. To ensure efficient implementation, the DOTr-TRB set a transition period until 11 January 2021, with no fines and penalties to be imposed on motorists without vehicle RFID. Further, RFID installation will continue beyond 11 January for non-frequent tollway users. Toll load has no validity expiration.