PLDT ties up with Samsung for SME business solutions

MANILA, Philippines - Dominant carrier Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) has tied up with electronics giant Samsung to boost its business arm catering to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

PLDT SME Nation first vice president and head Kat Luna-Abelarde said in an interview with reporters that the company sees a 54 percent jump in its SME client base to 100,000 this year from about 65,000 last year.

Luna-Abelarde pointed out that SME Nation and Samsung intend to deliver innovative business solutions for the country’s expanding SMEs.

She explained that the partnership has a one-year exclusivity period.

“This partnership aims to further empower entrepreneurs today with business-enhancing bundles comprised of cutting-edge broadband and cloud services with the latest information technology equipment and smart devices,” she stressed.

Eric Alberto, PLDT executive vice president and head of enterprise, international and carrier business, said the partnership would assure SMEs nationwide of reliable high-speed connectivity, trusted cloud-based solutions and help them to be more productive and efficient through high-tech gadgets such as tablets, notebooks, and Smart Wi-Fi LED television sets.

“With this in mind, it is PLDT SME Nation’s mission to provide local enterprises with new technology solutions, making their business even more profitable and helping them keep pace with the highly competitive global market,” Alberto stressed.

He explained that SMEs comprise 99.6 percent of the number of companies registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) employing about 70 percent of the country’s labor force.

He added that SMEs contribute about 32 percent to the country’s domestic output as measured by the gross domestic product (GDP). The country’s GDP grew 6.6 percent last year, surpassing the government’s target of five percent to six percent.

This helped the Philippines achieve investment grade rating from New York-based Standard & Poor’s as well as London-based Fitch Ratings. The country is expected to get another investment grade rating from Moody’s Investors Service soon.

“Our economy’s upward trend with the current investment grade and the rising stock market show how businesses are doing well now and that this is a crucial time for SMEs to have the tools and devices to help them be more competitive in their industries,” he said.

Alberto said the partnership with Samsung would help empower SMEs with the most reliable IT and mobile products for their businesses.

“To succeed, SMEs have to capitalize on given agility and speed advantages, again with the right information and communication technology tools which must include highly reliable access networks and relevant business solutions which drive efficiencies and cost savings,” he said.

For his part, Samsung Electronics Philippines Corp. president Chung Lyong Lee said the company has established its business-to-business (B2B) group as it has become the preferred brand among consumers and professionals.

“Today’s partnership is significant as it represents a fruitful union between two of the leading companies in their respective fields,” he said.