How PLDT, Smart are using everyday technology to support persons with disabilities

• Photo from PLDT

By TechWatch PH

Everyday digital tools—from smartphones to artificial intelligence—are being used by PLDT and Smart to support persons with disabilities in schools and communities, as part of the PLDT Group’s broader digital inclusion initiatives.

Through its IDEATe (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Advocacy through Technology) program, the PLDT Group works with ATRIEV (Adaptive Technology for Rehabilitation, Integration and Empowerment of the Visually Impaired) to deliver training courses focused on accessibility, digital skills, and livelihood enablement. 

These include AI for Accessibility, Android Accessibility Training, and Digital Business Basics Training. In 2025, PLDT and Smart trained a total of 300 persons with disabilities on various digital tools designed to support participation in the digital economy.

“Technology can help level the playing field for people who face barriers to education and employment,” said Stephanie V. Orlino, Assistant Vice President and Head of Stakeholder Engagement at PLDT and Smart. “By focusing on practical digital skills, we’re helping persons with disabilities engage more confidently in a digitally connected society.”

AI for Accessibility in education

Under the AI for Accessibility initiative, PLDT and Smart introduced AI-powered applications aimed at making learning environments more inclusive for children with disabilities. The course was initially rolled out for Special Needs Education (SNED) teachers, with support from the Department of Education school divisions of Makati, Taguig, and Pateros.

The training provides hands-on exposure to generative AI tools, assistive mobile applications for learners with visual impairment, and speech-to-text and text-to-speech technologies. 

Beyond teachers, the program was also extended to advocates from partner organizations working in the disability sector.

Supporting livelihoods through digital skills

Beyond classroom support, PLDT and Smart also focus on livelihood development for persons with disabilities and their families. 

Through the Digital Business Basics Training, participants are taught how to start and manage small enterprises, use design tools to create posters and other marketing materials, and apply basic concepts in costing, pricing, and online selling.

Following the training, the PLDT Group organized workshops that helped graduates form a vendors association, allowing participants to collaborate and expand their market reach. Beneficiaries were also invited to join PLDT and Smart bazaars at the Group’s headquarters, providing additional income opportunities.

In parallel, PLDT and Smart offered skills training in social media marketing, bookkeeping, and general virtual assistance to 30 women with disabilities and caregivers of persons with disabilities, enabling them to offer remote office support services.

Turning smartphones into assistive devices

Recognizing the widespread use of smartphones in the Philippines, the PLDT Group partnered with ATRIEV to help persons with visual impairment maximize built-in accessibility features through Android Accessibility Training. 

The course covers basic phone operations, the use of screen readers, angle gestures, and other essential applications that allow mobile devices to function as assistive tools.

In 2025, with support from the NORFIL Foundation and the DepEd Schools Division Office of Manila, the program was expanded to include students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Intellectual Disability (ID), and other neurodevelopmental conditions. 

The expanded curriculum incorporated interactive reading applications and gamified math programs to help build both academic and functional digital skills, as well as communication tools that use real-time feedback and visual cues.

Building inclusive workplaces

PLDT and Smart also implemented internal initiatives to promote inclusion within their workforce. In the previous year, more than a thousand employees completed disability sensitivity workshops that included immersive activities simulating everyday challenges faced by persons with disabilities. 

The company also shared these initiatives with partner universities and organizations as part of broader diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.

Through IDEATe, the PLDT Group aligns its digital inclusion programs with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly UNSDG 8 on Decent Work and Economic Growth and UNSDG 10 on Reduced Inequalities, using widely available technology to support access, skills development, and participation for persons with disabilities.