Christmas is a season of homecoming, especially for overseas Filipinos who cannot fly back to the Philippines during the Covid-19 pandemic. To celebrate this special homecoming, PLDT wireless unit Smart Communications Inc. (Smart) is bringing back the traditional "grand salubong" and welcoming our kababayans home with some holiday treats.

On 22 December Smart set up stations at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1, where arriving Filipinos could choose a gift from under the Christmas tree or enter the Christmas raffle for special giveaways.

Returning Filipinos also enjoyed local delicacies they may have missed — tasty bibingka, sapin-sapin, and hot chocolate to welcome them home warmly.

"We are excited to welcome our kababayans home, especially after the tough two years we have experienced due to the global pandemic. Aside from providing the fastest mobile network for when they stay in the country during their vacation, we hope that through this simple gesture, we're able to uplift their spirits this Christmas," said Chito M. Franco III, VP and Head of National Key Accounts and Partnerships at PLDT and Smart.

Smart also gave away locally made parols to level up the holiday cheer and care kits containing masks, sanitizers and pouches to help keep them safe as they spend their vacation with loved ones.

"Mabuhay to our OFWs! Christmas celebrations become more meaningful when we are reconnected with our families and loved ones. Thank you for making us part of your lives all these years. We commit to bringing closer ties through meaningful connections anytime, anywhere. Welcome home from your PLDT and Smart family," said Jac Bocalan, VP and Trade Marketing Head at PLDT and Smart.

Aside from taking care of the overseas Filipino community, Smart also empowers the digital and connectivity needs of Filipinos with the fastest mobile network in the country.

Ookla recently recognized smart's wireless network as the Philippines' Fastest and Best Mobile Network in its latest report covering Q1-Q2 2022. The Best Mobile Network citation has only been given by Ookla to approximately 20 mobile operators worldwide, with Smart being the first and only Philippine mobile operator to clinch the award since Speedtest started in 2017.

To earn this citation, a mobile operator must lead in two crucial Ookla Speedtest AwardsTM categories, namely Fastest Mobile Network and Best Mobile Coverage, within the same test period. Smart is also the fastest mobile network for Apple, Samsung, and Android devices, based on Ookla's analysis of Speedtest Intelligence data for Q3 2022.

As of end-September, Smart had deployed 77,200 base stations nationwide, including 7,300 5G base stations and close to 40,000 4G/LTE base stations. Smart's network covers about 97 percent of the population with 3G, LTE and 5G.

PLDT's fiber network supports Smart's network, the country's most extensive fiber infrastructure. As of end-September, PLDT had expanded its total fiber footprint to about 1.09 million kilometers, consisting of over 231,000 kilometers of international fiber and almost