Annalyn Fernan, a 37-year-old from Cavite, sells delicious rice cakes (suman) and other traditional snacks online. This business is super important for her family since her husband, who worked overseas, passed away last year.
Annalyn's mom started the business during the pandemic, and it's been doing great! To get even more customers,Annalyn uses her phone and the internet to sell on social media. "We get orders from all over, even from Filipinos working abroad who see my posts," she said. "That's why having good internet is key!"
On top of selling yummy snacks, Annalyn is also a busy mom of two! She's growing her business even more by offering phone reloading and bill payments. This cool program is from the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and PLDT Global. They gave Annalyn a package to help her succeed, including a new phone, marketing materials, and signs to attract customers.
Annalyn is so grateful for the help. "The money I earn helps us so much," she said. "Thanks to PLDT Global for working with the DMW to make things easier for us!"
People from both DMW and PLDT Global even visited Annalyn to see her business! They were really impressed.Annalyn thanked the DMW for their ongoing support. "They've been there for us every step of the way," she said. "I hope they can help more families like mine!"
The DMW's main guy, Secretary Hans Cacdac, said, "This program shows our commitment to helping Filipinos working abroad and their families. We partner with great companies like PLDT Global to offer helpful programs."
PLDT Global does even more than just this livelihood program. They also offer digital skills training for Filipinos working overseas. Last year, they provided grants, gadgets, and training for cacao farming to Filipinos who came back home from working abroad. They even gave educational kits to the kids of a Filipino worker in Qatar!
"We hope by working together with the DMW, we can improve the lives of Filipinos and help them achieve their dreams," said Albert Villa-Real, the big boss at PLDT Global.
PLDT Global is all about closing the digital gap by making sure Filipinos everywhere can access digital services. They have products and services that make life easier, especially their TINBO app. Filipinos abroad can use TINBO to buy phone load, pay bills back home, send food vouchers and gifts, and even get healthcare and gaming PINs for their families in the Philippines.
Through TINBO, overseas Filipinos can also get a special Smart virtual number (SVN) to receive important codes from their Philippine e-wallets and banks. Plus, they can use TINBO to pay all their bills back home easily and securely.
PLDT Global's partnership with the DMW is a great example of their overall mission to serve Filipinos everywhere and make their lives better.