I used to have a Smart SIM card but I have since changed it to Globe. Smart has a very weak signal where I live and I had a hard time sending/receiving text messages and making/answering phone calls. I also didn’t like the fact that Smart kept sending me text advertisements promoting just about anything under the sun. The crazy thing is that the company seems to have a knack for sending text ads at times when I am waiting for crucial messages. So my cellphone beeps, I open it for a much anticipated message, but all I get is this text ad encouraging me to download this ring tune or to join some raffle where I can win a cellphone. Aargh! So I eventually came to dislike Smart.
Still, this blog likes to give credit where credit is due and Smart should be credited for its Smart Schools Program which has been bringing free internet access to different schools across the country. In the Cordilleras, the following schools are part of this program: Alejo Pacalso Memorial National High School in Itogon, Benguet; Baguio City National High School – Loakan Annex in Baguio City; Mt. Province General Comprehensive High School in Bontoc Mt. Province; Sagada National High School in Sagada, Mt. Provine; and Tabuk National High School in Tabuk, Kalinga.
Students of said schools are now having fun surfing the web mainly because of this program. One wishes that this free internet access is not only for a year but in a country where corporate social responsibility is unheard of, this program is something. And something is better than nothing especially in the Philippines where only 9.1% have internet access [Source: Internet World Stats]
But still, Smart should not only be smart. It should get smarter. It should make the free internet access five years, or ten years, or if it really has to make the schools pay then it should make it very affordable, say P100/a month. Eh kasi pag one year free internet access lang, eh di parang patikim lang. Nanlibre ka nga, patikim lang pala! He he.
Seriously, it is not as if Smart with its billion-peso annual income is going to get poor with a much longer free internet program. Also, true corporate social responsibility is not only for pa-P.R. effect (and one year is only pa-P.R.), it should be one that has a more lasting impact on peoples and communities. That is how you build real public goodwill. And that is what might convince me to go back to using my Smart cell card despite the crappy signal where I live.
INFO AND PHOTO CREDITS: smart.com.ph
We tried applying for Smart Bro only to find out that they have no Signal here. Hindi naman remote ang Campo Sioco noh. I also use Globe, been using it for 4 years now. Hehe. My aunt uses Smart and she needs to get out of the house to be able to send messages. Hehe.
Isn’t it just too cold these days? Kunak nu global warming ken El Nino. Nakalamlammin met. I wonder how is it there in your place? Heard that the Benguet veggies are in bad condition due to the extreme cold weather in parts of the province where the elevation is higher.
Anyway, as my prof had mentioned, Smart is more open to development projects than Globe. Mahirap daw suyuin ang Globe sa sponsorship.
Hi Betelnut,
For some reason mahina din signal nila dito, eh dito lang naman kami sa northern QC. Its good to know about Smart’s openness to devt projects, makapag-apply nga 🙂 Yup its kinda cold here, no need to use a fan which is good.
I used globe when I was in the Philippines recently. regarding advertisements, pareho rin yata kay smart kac lage rin nag text ang globe sa cp ko… mga advertisements rin. anyway, glad to hear about smart’s philanthropy efforts. as many entrepeneurs like rockefeller and carnegie have shown, philanthropy is not only good for the community, but appears to be essential to success. 🙂
LOL about the ‘patikim lang’ comment. parang sa snack vendors ano? sample lang pala. 😀
Paano naman kase magkakakawanggawa ang G eh mga bigatin sa talent fee ang endorsers nila! Ayun tuloy! 🙂
Naisip ko lang, sana yung ibang kayamanan (kahit 1/4 lang) nila na pang-ads, itulong na lang ba sa mga ganun–gaya ng program ng smart… kahit ika mo nga eh pang-PR lang, malaking tulong na rin sana, at least makakatikim ng www ang mga nasa ‘suksukisok.’ Dba?
bill, ‘lam mo ba kung pa’no nakaka-avail nung program ng smart? At nang maipasok sana ung school dun sa bundok namin.. wawa naman sila dun, 500+ students, iisa ang desktop… nasa opisina pa ng principal… at ginagamit lang ng sekretarya niya para paglaruan ng solitaryo… inangkuppuuu…
“pareho rin yata kay smart kac lage rin nag text ang globe sa cp ko…”
wil, ang cute naman ng Tagalog mo, nabulol ako sa pagbabasa..lol.. joke lang…
Wil,
You’re right. I soon learned na madami din pala ang ads sa Globe 🙁 The good thing is may signal sa loob ng bahay. Philantropy talaga eventually returns to the philantropists so I don’t know why not many Philippine companies are into it.
Ferri,
Sana tayo na lang kunin nilang endorsers. Konti lang talent fee natin he he.
Di ko alam kung ano ang proceso nila eh. Pero ang nangyari sa Sagada NHS narinig yata nila na may ganoong program sa Bontoc (Mt. Prov Gen. Compre HS) so pumunta sila doon na nagtanong on how to be a part of the program. Ayun, naging part na sila. So you might want to contact Bambang NHS or Nueva Vizcaya GCHS sa Bayombong because they are Smart partners and I’m sure they would have details. Or you might just want to email smart sa smartschools@smart.com.ph at tignan natin kung gaano sila ka-responsive sa email requests.
LOL about the solitaire 🙂
Hi Anon,
Oy pero at least marunong pa rin si Wil mag Tagalog. Hindi niya nakalimutan ang ating sariling wika . Thanks for visiting 🙂
anonymous, pasensya na lang. am-boy lang kasi ako e. hehe
The problem with us is (Igorots or not), mahilig tayo sa libre. Libre doesn’t make us self sufficient. Kailangan, may pabalaik naman sana sa provider.
Hi Anon,
You have a good point there. Hopefully ang gawin ng Smart is to make its internet service so affordable such that more people can afford it. Katulad ng nangyari sa cell phone service. Dati only the rich people can afford to have cell phones because having one is very costly. Cell companies eventually got smarter, they lowered their service charges and eventually captured a very big subscriber base. Ngayon, halos lahat ng tao meron ng cellphone. Panalo ang kumpanya, panalo din ang tao. If this happens sa internet service, the Philippines woould have a much bigger internet user rate, hindi lang 9.1%, because people can afford it. Then we won’t be making an issue about Smart being stingy in its efforts to help schools without internet.