DOTr Maritime sector in full force in assisting COVID-19 positive Filipino crew members aboard vessel from India

Wazzup Pilipinas?!

The maritime sector of the Department of Transportation (DOTr), consisting of the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), together with the agency members of the One-Stop Shop (OSS) Port of Manila, are currently in full force in assisting all Filipino crew members aboard a COVID-19 positive vessel “MV Athens Bridge” from India.

According to the vessel’s shipping agent, MV Athens Bridge departed from India on 22 April 2021 and arrived in Haiphong, Vietnam on 01 May 2021 for the conduct of the crew’s RT-PCR test. It was later on found that out of the 21 Filipino crew members onboard, 12 of them tested positive of COVID-19.

On 06 May 2021, the PCG received a request from the vessel’s captain to execute a medical evacuation of the two (2) crew members who both needed urgent medical care. The vessel, at that time, was located 12 nautical miles west of Corregidor Island.

Upon securing clearance from the BOQ and the Department of Health (DOH), MV Athens Bridge was directed to the quarantine anchorage area designated by the OSS Port of Manila. Security is also provided by the PCG to ensure that no unauthorized vessel or banca will approach the vessel.

Early evening of the same day, BOQ doctors boarded the vessel to assess the condition of the crew and recommended the immediate medical evacuation of two (2) crew members in critical condition.

As of press time, the crew members in critical condition have been safely evacuated and brought to the dedicated medical facility for treatment. The rest of the crew are contained in the vessel and shall be provided with needed medical supplies, including oxygen tanks, with assistance from BOQ and PCG.

The national government, through the maritime sector of the DOTr, assures that the situation and the condition of the crew members will be consistently monitored. Health and safety protocols will also be prioritized throughout the entire process.

PLDT Enterprise empowers an ICT revolution

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

PLDT Enterprise, the B2B arm of the largest integrated telecommunications company in the Philippines, urges the business sector to revolutionize their organizations by undergoing digital transformation - through the help of its ICT services - in order to stay ahead of the competition and achieve differentiation.

In its latest brand campaign “Revolution”, PLDT Enterprise underscores theimportance of revolutionary change in business wherein organizations reshape and realign the strategic goals to transform their products and services for customers. PLDT Enterprise, to this end, offers ICT solutions powered by ePLDT that can greatly improve operational efficiency and enhance business resiliency—enabling them to successfully transform and revolutionize their operations.

Jovy Hernandez, ePLDT President & CEO and SVP & Head for PLDT and Smart Enterprise Business Group says, “We at PLDT Enterprise aim to empower businesses to revolutionize their strategies to yield an impactful change across industries. One way to achieve this is by the adoption of digital technologies that will accelerate their transformation and help them succeed better in the future.”

When the global pandemic began, digital transformation was hastened for industries all in a matter of months making it a pivotal response to the disruption of work and business ecosystems. ICT has become integral to reshape traditional information technology platforms and has driven a shift to the latest era in digital technology and experience.

“Digital transformation is revolutionary and essential for business growth. We at PLDT Enterprise are urging companies to take the big leap and stay ahead in this fast-changing business environment through the help of our end-to-end ICT services,” says Nico Alcoseba, VP & Head of ICT Business for PLDT Enterprise.

PLDT Enterprise is continuously improving and developing technologies to meet the expanding requirements of businesses. Its digital ecosphere includes a wide array of ICT products powered by ePLDT to help serve and meet its clients’ growing and evolving needs.

Data Centers. PLDT Enterprise offers a suite of data center solutions that cater to the evolving IT needs of various verticals. Its robust VITRO data center facilities have over 9,000-rack capacity that is ready for enterprise needs such as colocation, cloud hosting, disaster recovery, managed servers, security and network services. Hosting three (3) of the country’s Rated-3 Facilities in accordance to TIA-942, VITRO is the preferred site of enterprises who seek high levels of reliability, redundancy, and security. Since network is as essential as data center reliability, all VITRO data center facilities are designed to be carrier-neutral, allowing other telcos both foreign and local to provide network connections based on customer preference. Major data centers are also inter-connected to maximize the access to telcos that collocated in the same facility. VITRO data center also hosts two (2) of the country’s major internet exchanges, making it the preferred colocation site for hyperscalers.

ePLDT Cloud. In today’s digital marketplace, speed, velocity and agility are crucial characteristics to enable better flexibility, maximum productivity and collaboration among the workforce all delivered with a lower total cost of ownership. PLDT Enterprise’s continuous investment on both cloud technology platform and expertise deliver best practices on Cloud Management, getting things done faster, better strategic decisions are made, and employees are able to communicate in a more agile manner. PLDT Enterprise’s full portfolio of Cloud services and technologies complement any company’s business needs. Its scalable solutions address the challenges that come with huge capital expense outlay, long time-to-market and rigid system configurations and management.

Azure Stack. Microsoft Azure Stack is a locally-hosted open, flexible, and enterprise-grade global cloud computing platform that allows users to develop and deploy applications in real time managed by ePLDT cloud experts. Businesses can build and run hybrid applications across cloud boundaries, building modern infrastructure and refreshing legacy setup. Azure Stack enables organizations that require data to be retained in-country, whether for regulatory or latency requirements. It provides ability to do hybrid cloud strategy for the needs of today’s modern-day enterprises.

Microsoft Office 365. Migrating to Microsoft Office 365 through ePLDT delivers team collaboration like never before. As the leading Microsoft Cloud Solutions Provider in the Philippines, ePLDT deploys licenses, best practice migration services and adoption programs that are customized for growing customers. Organizations can securely work on critical requirements anytime, anywhere and on any device. Microsoft Office 365 combines the familiar Office desktop suite with the latest cloud-based versions of the next generation communications and collaboration services all in one place. Work, learn, collaborate, connect, and create with Microsoft Office 365.

Google Workspace. Making the digital pivot with Google Workspace streamlines all core elements of work like email, chat, voice and video calling, document collaboration, storage, task and calendar sharing, as well as device management and security tools. The suite offers an integrated workspace for mobility, providing the flexibility of collaborating anytime, from anywhere, on any device, to seamlessly accomplish vital operational requirements. With Google Workspace from ePLDT, enterprises benefit from Google's well-known simplicity in terms of user interface, industry leading innovations such as AI-powered tools, platform mobility and data protection, and ePLDT's best practices in deploying Google services governed by strict privacy standards for safe operations and collaboration.

Salesforce. Salesforce is a CRM system that gives enterprises a 360 degree view of its customers by managing and organizing information to be accessed securely and conveniently all in one place. As the world's number one CRM for Sales, Customer Service, and Marketing, Salesforce leads the way in helping businesses find, win and keep customers. ePLDT has extensive experience in providing enterprises with consulting, training, and adoption services for business transformation with Salesforce. Together, ePLDT and Salesforce provide an artificial intelligence-powered platform which efficiently connects companies to their customers, strengthens business relationships and builds customer loyalty.

Cyber Security. ePLDT Cyber Security adopts a holistic, end-to-end approach to predict, prevent, detect, and respond to cyber threats, combining the cyber security experience and expertise of our professionals with cyber security intelligence and best-in-class technology platforms and process frameworks.

Managed IT. ePLDT’s Managed IT Services assist in infrastructure architecture design, in actual implementation, and to monitor, manage, and optimize and enterprise’s IT system, thereby enabling organizations to focus on strategic initiatives for its core business. ePLDT comprises of an ecosystem of skilled subject matter experts and the most experienced IT management experts in the nation.

Businesses are adapting to unprecedented uncertainty during the global pandemic. And it is evident that digital transformation, with the aid of PLDT Enterprise’s ICT solutions, can facilitate better collaboration, higher productivity, more agility, and stronger resiliency—giving businesses the opportunity to drive revolutionary change and thrive in the long term.

PLDT Enterprise’s latest brand campaign titled ‘Unbreakable’ celebrates the resilience of the Filipino that enabled them to come out stronger from the challenges of the past year. As an extension of this campaign, PLDT Enterprise now urges businesses to shift their focus from traditional technology management to more revolutionary undertakings that will make their organizations ready and fit for the future. Watch PLDT Enterprise’s “Revolution” video here: https://youtu.be/-J6k3410AW0

For more information on PLDT Enterprise, visit www.pldtenterprise.com.

Modernization and improvement of the Calbayog Airport

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

More room for economic growth, trade expansion and vibrant tourism await Samar province as the Department of Transportation (DOTr), together with the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) continues to improve air mobility in the region with the modernization and improvement of the Calbayog Airport.
DOTr Secretary Arthur P. Tugade and CAAP Director General Jim Sydiongco led the inauguration of the development projects in Calbayog Airport today, 05 May 2021. They were joined by other transport officials, local government leaders, and airline stakeholders to witness the momentous event.

Focus of the officials’ messages during the inauguration was the benefits of the completed development projects at the Calbayog Airport which is known as the "alternative gateway" to Eastern Visayas.

The development project involves the construction of a new Passenger Terminal Building (PTB). With the completion of the project, the Calbayog Airport terminal has been transformed into a modern and improved facility, which can now accommodate 450 passengers, increasing its previous 76-passenger capacity.


Aside from the new PTB, the completed development projects in Calbayog Airport also include the widened runway, expanded apron, construction of runway end safety area (RESA), a vehicular parking area (VPA), and security fence, and drainage system.

In his speech, DOTr Secretary Tugade stressed the need to develop transport infrastructure projects, such as airports, amid the pandemic, so that every region in the country will be equipped with the necessary instrument crucial for recovery and continuous growth.

“Dapat lang na balansehin natin ‘yung tinatawag na pangangailangan ng health protocols sa pangangailangan ng paglago ng ekonomiya,” Secretary Tugade stressed.

“Ginagawa natin ang paliparan na ito, upang pagdating ng tinatawag na ‘new normal’, andiyan na ang pasilidad upang sa ganoon, ang negosyo, ang pagbiyahe ng ating mga kababayan, at ang pag-unlad ng negosyo ay nakakasa na,” Tugade added.

Meanwhile, CAAP DG Sydiongco echoes the same message, saying: “With the continued commitment of DOTr, CAAP, and the LGU, progress in the Eastern Visayas Region’s transport sector will continue to take off.”

The improvements and development of the Calbayog Airport are expected to help further boost economic activities in the entire Region VIII and promote growth not only in Samar but also in its adjacent provinces.

“I’m sure that with the much-improved Calbayog Airport, it will offer nothing short but comfort and efficiency to the traveling public. And surely, this will bring in more tourists and boost the economy of Calbayog City and the rest of the Samar,” Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Secretary Michael Lloyd Dino expressed.

For his part, Samar 1st District Representative Edgar Sarmiento also commended and thanked Secretary Tugade, the entire DOTr, and CAAP for giving importance and attention to the needs of Samarnons.

“They did everything, from the very start of the construction until finally to its completion, to make sure that the Samarnons will be given this very beautiful airport,” Congressman Sarmiento said.

Apart from the development projects that have been carried out in the Calbayog Airport, the DOTr also has numerous infrastructure projects in Region VIII since the Duterte administration took over in 2016.

In the Aviation Sector, 23 airport projects have been completed, including development projects in the Biliran Airport, Borongan Airport, Catarman Airport, Maasin Airport, Ormoc Airport, and Tacloban Airport. Meanwhile, 14 more airport projects are ongoing.

In the Maritime Sector, 76 commercial and social tourism port projects were completed, including the San Isidro Municipal Port, San Jose Port, San Roque Municipal Port, Allen Municipal Wharf, Albuera Port, and Villaba Municipal Port. Meanwhile, 11 more port projects are ongoing to add to the 76 port projects already completed by the DOTr and Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) from 2016 to the present.