Cignal Connect offers free internet access in Palawan, Leyte, Bohol and Dinagat Islands to help barangays in their post-recovery efforts nearly two months on after typhoon Odette brought untold devastation to their communities.
When typhoon Odette swept through the Visayas and Northern Mindanao last December 16, it displaced an estimated one million families. While humanitarian and relief operations are still ongoing nearly two months on, many families are still left without connectivity as cell towers and fiber cables are being repaired and restored.
Cignal understands the importance of internet connectivity in helping these families communicate with loved ones and start their recovery and rebuilding journey. Thus, Cignal’s Satellite Broadband Service, Cignal Connect, in cooperation with its generous partners — satellite provider KTSAT and PLDT, and Cignal Territory Partners CRFT, Save and Earn, Cellcom, and Digilife — will provide free connectivity to five sites located in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan; Tagbilaran City, Bohol; Maasin City, Southern Leyte; and Dinagat Islands.
“We are extremely grateful for the support of all our partners in helping us provide free internet access to communities devastated by typhoon Odette. Communication is essential at this stage of their recovery efforts, and Cignal Connect is happy to be of service through our satellite broadband as the people in these communities start to rebuild their lives,” said Robert P. Galang, Cignal president and CEO.
While other forms of communication have yet to be restored in the typhoon-affected areas, Cignal Connect has been steadily providing internet access to affected families and communities with the help of its satellite broadband technology and will continue to do so in the coming weeks as the need arises.
“Mabigat sa loob ang pinsala na dulot ng bagyong Odette sa aming barangay, ngunit ang pagiging matatag ng bawat isa at ang pagiging matulungin ng iba’t ibang institusyon ay nagbibigay sa amin ng lakas at pag-asa na magpatuloy. Nagpapasalamat kami sa Cignal para sa paglaan nila ng satellite broadband service sa aming barangay. Ang libreng Internet ay lubos na makakatulong sa amin upang maging konektado habang bumabangon mula sa kalamidad,” said Roland Macula, barangay captain of San Rafael, Puerto Princesa.
(Odette has brought our community untold damage and suffering. But the strength shown by each community member, as well as the support given by various institutions has given us hope to carry on. We’d like to thank Cignal for providing our barangay with satellite broadband service. Free access to the Internet would help us immensely to stay connected while we focus on recovery efforts after this calamity.”)
Cignal, using its VSAT technology, was also able to extend support for SMART’s disaster recovery efforts in Palawan, Surigao and Siargao.
