A Smart window to the world

MANILA, Philippines - Three of the country’s top photographers. Twelve locations. Sixty captivating photographs. Smart Communications, Inc. brings all these elements together to deliver one simple yet powerful message: Internet for all.

Smart tapped photographers Jo Ann Bitagcol, Jake Verzosa, and Apple Tapan to participate in a one-of-a-kind project that aims to capture images of how the Internet is changing the lives of Filipinos in line with its advocacy “Internet for All.”   

The images they capture will tell stories of how Internet connectivity helps enhance productivity, generate business or simply make life more convenient.

“‘Internet for All’ is Smart’s advocacy to bring the Internet to Filipinos from all walks of life,” said Smart chief wireless adviser Orlando B. Vea. “The Internet is the new cellular. The Internet should be for all. Through this project, we hope to show different scenarios of how people are embracing the Internet because of the positive impact it can make on lives and communities.”

The advocacy is more than just getting people and communities to connect to the Web. “We want to dramatize how more Filipinos from all walks of life are discovering the benefits of the Internet,” said Smart Public Affairs Group head Ramon R. Isberto. And what could be more dramatic than a great shot?

The 60 photographs produced by the project will be on display at an exhibit to be organized by Smart.

For the project, model-turned-photographer Jo Ann Bitagcol, fashion and adventure lensman Jake Verzosa and Apple Tapan of the family of renowned photographers traveled to 12 locations across the country. These include Naga, Camarines Sur; Gingoog, Misamis Oriental; Barobo, Surigao del Sur; Baguio; Coron, Palawan; Malapascua, Cebu; Tagbilaran, Bohol, Polillo, Quezon; San Miguel, Bulacan; and Metro Manila, among other places.

Stories Behind The Images

“Each site has its own charm. One cannot compare,” said Bitagcol. “All my subjects have unique personalities and stories. What I admire about these people, aside from their dedication, is their willingness to share time and effort without expecting anything in return.”

In Palawan, a husband-and-wife team of local tour operators has seen their business grow since they launched a website to promote the sights and sounds of Coron. In Manila, a clothing brand went beyond traditional marketing methods and turned to the Internet to build and establish the brand.

Then there is the mother from Baguio who has given her family a more comfortable life through her earnings as a reseller of Smart Bro, Smart’s wireless broadband service.

Malapascua island, off the northernmost tip of Cebu, is best known worldwide for being a top diving site — and now, for being home to the first “green” cell site in the country. In Bulacan, a public school teacher’s concern for the environment has rubbed off on her students, who now know the importance of monitoring rainfall.

These are but a few of the stories documented under the project.

“What makes this project different is the advocacy. I am proud to be part of this project. The shoot assignments made me realize that communication has so evolved, I can’t imagine our lives without the Internet,” said Tapan. The photos “depict communication, life and heart.”

Bitagcol describes the photos as “simple, direct, honest”; to Verzosa, they are “straightforward and contemplative.”

Photographer’s Notes

In addition to capturing images, the three photographers observed up-close how the Internet affects lives and communities.

“I know that the Internet has greatly changed the way people live in general, but the shoot made me see this in a different light and realize the possibilities for Filipinos in the future,” said Verzosa.

“I use the Internet for research, for work, connecting to friends and family, getting information,” said Bitagcol. “Through this project, I realized its importance in other fields as well — in health, as in the assignment in Misamis Oriental, and in the environment, in San Miguel, Bulacan.”

Tapan saw “how important the Internet is to other people, affecting their livelihood or profession, the environment, health and safety.”

The photographers themselves acknowledge the importance of connectivity to their work and daily lives. 

For Tapan, the Internet makes communicating with overseas clients easier. “If they need stock photos, all I have to do is send the photos over the Internet,” he said.

Similarly, Verzosa said, “Through the Internet, I get in touch with my clients, apply for grants, show works on my website, receive the latest news and get inspiration from other works as well.”

For Bitagcol, “the Internet provides easy and fast access to everything — business, information, family.”

Verzosa summed it up thus: “The Internet is the window to the world.”