ePLDT honored with two major awards at Microsoft 2020 Partner Awards

Wazzup Pilipinas!

ePLDT Inc., the country’s leading enabler of digital solutions in the Philippines, was given two significant awards at the recently concluded Microsoft Philippines Partner Awards and Appreciation Day—further fortifying its leadership in the local ICT space.

For excellence in driving transformation with their own organization and in their customers’ organizations, ePLDT was given the Tech Intensity Award. This recognition fortifies its leadership in the tech industry, sustaining strategic partnerships with technology providers in the business.

Jovy Hernandez, ePLDT President & CEO and SVP & Head for PLDT and Smart Enterprise Business Groups, reiterates its gratitude to Microsoft Philippines for its long-standing partnership, saying, “this award is testament to ePLDT’s relentless efforts in developing our capabilities in delivering technologies that matter to our customers. We are looking forward to another great year of collaboration and partnership with Microsoft as we pursue our vision of making a positive impact on every single business.”

At present, ePLDT has evolved to be the innovative and active partner of Microsoft, having created a wide range of cloud-based solutions with include cloud productivity, collaboration, and infrastructure services.

ePLDT has joined the Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) Program to further enhance its technical expertise in terms of delivering cloud solutions to customers. ePLDT continuously deploys its sales, pre-sales and operations team for Microsoft certifications trainings to equip them with the right skills and knowledge in delivering Microsoft solutions to its customer base.

“These efforts are all in line with ePLDT’s goal which is to simplify the complex for our customers, and at the same time make a positive impact on every single business, as we continue investing in the latest technologies to better serve our customers,” Hernandez added.

“To date, in ePLDT we have more than 50 Microsoft certified professionals. As a result, we achieved 9 Silver and Gold Level competencies in various Microsoft practice. ePLDT aims to add more competencies by the end of the year,” said Fay Ocampo, Head of Strategic Partnerships and Alliances of PLDT Enterprise.

Aside from this, ePLDT also received “Para Sa Bayan” special award for its efforts to enable remote learning for school and students nationwide with Microsoft For Education solutions. The Para sa Bayan Award recognizes key initiatives of Microsoft’s partners in response to COVID-19, celebrates innovative and outstanding solutions or programs that helped organizations and communities respond to and recover from challenges created by the pandemic.

Nico Alcoseba, VP & Head of ICT Business for PLDT Enterprise, is honored with Microsoft’s Para sa Bayan award, saying that “our strong partnership with Microsoft especially during the global health crisis, has proved very helpful to many businesses and many industries. We are happy to have been recognized with these key awards.”

ePLDT was also a finalist for two other categories namely Customer Centricity and Teamwork Excellence at the said awards. Meanwhile, its subsidiary AGS came as a placer for the BizApps Customer Recruit category.

Microsoft Philippines held its 2020 Partner Awards, as part of a global circuit that recognizes Microsoft’s partners for their outstanding, innovative efforts to positively impact customers every year.

For more information on ePLDT, visit epldt.com.

PNR’s new trains from Indonesia start operations

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Train commuters can now experience smoother and more convenient rides with the inaugural run today, 28 January 2021, of the Philippine National Railway’s (PNR) three new Diesel Hydraulic Locomotives (DHL) with 15 passenger coaches that were built in Indonesia.

Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur Tugade, PNR General Manager Junn Magno, other transport officials, representatives from the Republic of Indonesia Embassy in Manila, and representatives from PT Industri Kereta Api (PT-INKA) the firm that made the train sets, graced the ceremonial class assignment and inaugural run from the PNR Dela Rosa Station in Makati to the Manila Tutuban Station.

The new train sets will serve commuters on the PNR's Metro Commuter Line which runs from the Tutuban Station in Manila to Los Baños in Laguna. With the addition of the new train sets, the PNR Metro Commuter Line now targets to serve a total of 140,000 passengers daily doubling its existing capacity from 48,000 to 60,000 per day.

Secretary Tugade said the inaugural run of the new PNR train sets assures the riding public of safe, convenient, and comfortable travels.

“Nakaumang na ‘yung tren, darating na ‘yung tren, sasakay na tayo ng tren upang sa ganoon ay maramdaman natin ang katanungan ng mga tao noong tayo ay nagsimula: ‘Kailan mababago ang PNR?’ Ngayon po, patuloy na binabago natin ang PNR. ‘Kailan darating ang bagong tren?’ Ngayon po, dumating na ang bagong tren. At ‘Kailan naman natin masasakyan ang bagong tren?’ Ngayon po, pasisinayaan at sasakyan natin ang mga bagong tren,” Secretary Tugade said.

The Transportation Chief also commended the men and women of the PNR for their relentless work in transforming the rail network and for developing the country’s railway system. Secretary Tugade specifically noted that PNR stations have increased from 25 to the present 34.

“For you to have an improved rail movement, you must have the facility, and the rails. You must have the trains and the coaches, and you must have the people. The three are being done by Junn Magno and the PNR.”

Secretary Tugade also thanked PT INKA and the Indonesian Embassy in Manila for their support in realizing the development projects of the country, especially in the rail sector.

For his part, PNR GM Junn Magno pointed out that the last class assignment for trains was done way back in 2008. However, under the Duterte administration, there have already been four class assignments, along with the implementation of other railway projects.

“This administration has implemented more railway projects, has assigned more classes, has introduced new innovations, has introduced new generations of rolling stocks classes than any other administrations combined. And that is through the leadership of Secretary Tugade. This is his legacy,” GM Magno said.

The new train sets are part of the PNR Management Re-fleeting Strategy which involves the delivery of train sets composed of 37 cars and three locomotives procured in 2018.

The re-fleeting project aims to increase the PNR's capacity to accommodate 1,330 passengers per set in a single trip.

The train sets have a maximum design speed of 120 kilometers per hour, with high clearance for flooded tracks. Each train set features an interior access to the engine room, the first of its kind for the PNR fleet. The train sets are also equipped with 36,000 kilocalories per hour of air conditioning in each coach that is suitable for tropical countries like the Philippines.

Japan-financed Light Rail Vehicles manufactured in Spain for LRT-1, Extension Project unveiled

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The first set of the 4th generation light rail vehicles (LRVs) to be used for the LRT-1 and its extension line - the much-awaited LRT-1 Cavite Extension Project was unveiled on 26 January 2020.

In the arrival ceremony held at the Manila Harbor, transport officials led by Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur P. Tugade, graced the event, together with officials of the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA), the Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC), and members of the diplomatic corps.

The first set and second set of 4th generation LRVs were manufactured in Spain. The 2nd to 4th train set are already en route to Philippines, while the remaining LRV train sets (5th to 30th) are being manufactured and tested in Mexico. Deliveries are scheduled until 2022.

Secretary Tugade said the arrival of the first set of the 4th generation LRVs in the country will be a big boost to the realization of the LRT-1 Cavite Extension Project, which has been delayed for almost two (2) decades. The transportation chief also reiterated the need to hasten the project's completion for partial operability before the year ends.

"As we inaugurate the unveiling and the acceptance of the 4th generation of cars and trains, I remember distinctly well that 19 years ago, this project (LRT-1 Cavite Extension) was started," Secretary Tugade said.

"Under the Duterte Administration, we pushed and pushed hard. That is why today, we see the steps of the whole realization of this project--partial operability within this year, by accepting the trains and the cars," he added.

Meanwhile, Japan Ambassador Kazuhiko Koshikawa and JICA Senior Representative Kiyo Kawabuchi expressed their full support for the projects and programs of the government, especially in providing Filipinos with an efficient transportation system.

“I served JICA as an Executive Senior Vice President for four years, so I share this same ardent passion with the DOTr leadership. Now, I am here in this country, I am completely committed to work closely with our friends from the Philippine government to achieve these infrastructure goals, together with JICA,” Ambassador Koshikawa said.

"We are confident that this new addition to the existing fleet of coaches shall further improve the service of LRT line 1 with the involvement of private sector, LRMC, for the operations and maintenance. And therefore, provide the commuting public with a more efficient, faster, reliable, and safer mass transport system to improve their daily commuting experience and quality of life," Kawabuchi meanwhile added.

The new 4th generation LRV trainsets consume less energy and are equipped with new operational features, improved cooling system, and are more PWD-friendly compared to previous LRV generations.

The acquisition of new trains for the LRT-1 line is part of the massive expansion now being taken by the country's rail sector to the train fleet from a total of 224 train cars in 2016 to 1,381 ordered, under production, delivered, and operational train cars by 2022.