PLDT Inc., an integrated telecommunications company, and its wireless arm Smart Communications Inc., have added another facility to their list of certified sites under the ISO 22301:2019 Business Continuity Management Systems standard.
The newly certified Smart site is located in Palawan, bringing the total number of PLDT and Smart sites with this certification to 25 as of the end of April 2025.
“Operating in a country vulnerable to various disruptive incidents but where connectivity is essential, having the capability to deliver services despite disruptions is critical,” said Leo Gonzales, vice president and head of Property, Facilities, and Asset Resiliency Management at PLDT and Smart.
Focus on risk preparedness
ISO 22301:2019 outlines how organizations can create systems that help them manage, recover from, and reduce the effects of unexpected disruptions. These can include power outages, construction-related damage, cable theft, cyberattacks, and incidents linked to climate change.
“With climate change bringing about more frequent and severe weather events in the country, our task is to mitigate its impacts on our business and our customers by ensuring that we can quickly restore our network and continue delivering our services amid disruptions,” said Melissa Vergel de Dios, chief sustainability officer at PLDT and Smart.
The Asian Disaster Reduction Center notes that around 20 typhoons hit the Philippines every year, with five considered destructive. For PLDT and Smart, climate change is among their top business risks. The companies continue to include climate resilience in how they plan and build their infrastructure.
“These ISO certifications affirm that we are prepared to do so and could serve as differentiators in the eyes of our existing and future customers,” Vergel de Dios said.
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