PLDT backs PSAC push to connect state universities and colleges nationwide

• Photo from Pixabay

By TechWatch PH Staff

PLDT Inc. is strengthening efforts to bring high-quality digital connectivity to state universities and colleges (SUCs) across the Philippines, joining forces with the Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) and other fixed-line providers to support the government’s drive to improve education delivery through better internet access.

The initiative was presented during a PSAC meeting with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., and is being carried out in coordination with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).

Under the “Konektadong CHED” program, PLDT aims to expand connectivity to 220 SUCs by the first quarter of 2026, with the long-term goal of reaching all 555 SUCs nationwide.

Each institution is expected to benefit between 5,000 and 10,000 students and faculty members once fully connected.

The effort builds on previous milestones, including a 2022 collaboration between the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and PLDT that activated 1,000 free Wi-Fi access points across 220 public higher education institutions and connected 61 of the country’s 113 main SUCs.

“Digital connectivity to all educational institutions has become a key factor towards national progress. The telco community is one in helping drive this objective forward with the government,” said Menardo G. Jimenez, PLDT Chief Operating Officer and PLDT representative to the PSAC.

PLDT’s support for PSAC’s digital initiatives highlights the company’s commitment to national development through strategic partnerships that broaden digital access and strengthen essential public services like education.

The program also aligns with the PLDT Group’s contribution to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 9 on Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure.