Typhoon survivors avail of free calls

AS restoration of network facilities in areas hard hit by supertyphoon Yolanda is underway, Smart Communications Inc. (Smart) has been offering free calls (libreng tawag) services in Tacloban City, using the Telecoms Sans Frontieres (TSF) BGAN, which delivers broadband data and voice simultaneously, through a single portable device via satellite.

Tacloban is one of the most devastated areas in the Visayas with power and communication lines still down.

The free call station was held at the police station near the Tacloban city hall.

Smart will continue to provide satellite voice and data communications to the affected residents and responders, such as the Office of Civil Defense Region 8 Operations Center, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Armed Forces Central Operations Center, Cebu Provincial Office, Philippine Air Force, Philippine Red Cross, Oxfam Philippines and TV5.

Smart and Sun Cellular continued to extend Libreng Tawag services yesterday at the Smart Retail Store in Ormoc City and in Tubigon Community Hospital in Potohan, Tubigon, Bohol. The public may also proceed to the San Francisco municipal hall in Camotes, Cebu, c/o National Telecommunications Commission, and the Smart cell sites in Roxas City proper and Sta. Fe in Cebu for free charging of mobile phone batteries.

Network services have already been restored in Cabulihan, Maasin in Southern Leyte and the municipalities of Matalom, Bato, Hilongos, Macrohon and Hindang in Leyte; San Carlos, Negros Oriental; Bantayan Island, Cebu; Calatrava, Negros Occidental; Dimiao, Bohol; Badiangan, Ajuy-Culasi, Cabatuan, Anilao, Banate, Maasin, PD Monfort, Janjuay, Sta. Barbara, Leganes, Barotac Nuevo, Pavia, San Miguel, Dumangas, Alimodian, Sta. Barbara, Tiwi, Barotac Nuevo, Mina, Dingle, Zarraga, Pototan in Iloilo, and all of Masbate except for Mobo, Cataingan, Palanas, and Pio V. Corpuz.

Network services have been operational in Ormoc City in Leyte as well as in some areas in Western Samar: Calbayog City, Calbiga, Catbalogan City, Daram, Gandara, Jiabong, Macrohon, Matuguinao, Paranas (Wright), San Jose de Buan, Santa Margarita, Tarangnan and Villareal.

Smart and Sun subscribers can use text facilities to donate to the victims of typhoon Yolanda.

For donations to the Philippine Red Cross, subscribers can text RED <amount> and send to 4143. Ex: RED 100. Denominations accepted are for P10, P24, P50, P100, P300, P500 and P1,000.

Text donations via the Philippine Disaster Recovery Foundation (PDRF) Brick by Brick YolandaPh fund raising initiative. Just text TulongPH <amount> and send to 4483 (Ex. TulongPh25). The same denominations as for Red Cross applies. Donations via PayPal and Smart Money can be done through the PDRF Brick by Brick site (www.pdrf.org/brickbybrick).