PLDT Inc. announced it would conduct a five-day emergency maintenance of one of its international cable systems starting Friday, September 23.
“Emergency maintenance activities will be conducted on the Asian American Gateway (AAG), one of PLDT’s international cable systems, from Friday, 25 September 2020 8:00 a.m. to Wednesday, 30 September 2020 5:00 a.m. (Philippine Standard Time),” it said.
“We would like to assure PLDT and Smart Communications, Inc. subscribers that measures have been put in place to minimize this activity’s impact. We shall provide regular updates as the operation progresses, we thank you for your understanding,” it added.
PLDT and its wireless subsidiary Smart Communications Inc earlier help from the government agencies to gain access to more than 300 sites for repairs and installation, which would provide a better connection to the public.
PLDT and Smart said areas in Metro Manila and the provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Quezon, Rizal, Ilocos Norte, Cagayan, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Palawan, Iloilo, Capiz, Samar, Misamis Oriental, and Zamboanga del Norte are currently inaccessible due to community lockdowns.
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PLDT schedules 5-day emergency maintenance
“The PLDT Group would like to respectfully appeal to the DICT and DILG to direct LGUs and other concerned sectors to enjoin their immediate cooperation in granting the PLDT Group access to its facilities within their respective areas to conduct critical works,” the telco companies said in a letter addressed to Department of Information and Communications Technology Secretary Gregorio Honasan and Interior Secretary Eduardo Año.
It said the community quarantines imposed nationwide affected their critical performance activities such as capacity expansion, service restoration, replacement and upgrade of essential facilities, installation works, maintenance, and other urgent work.
“Amid COVID-19, our services have become really essential to our countrymen. Many of our customers have been affected by the pandemic and the lockdowns, and we are here to help them get back on their feet by making sure that our quality services are always available to them,” Smart president and CEO and PLDT chief revenue officer Alfredo Panlilio said.
Another telecommunication company, Dito Telecommunity Corp., meanwhile was given a franchise to operate in the country.