Carcar’s elders get digital literacy training

Another batch of senior citizens have been empowered under the digital literacy training program of PLDT Inc. and Smart Communications Inc. (Smart).

Over 200 senior citizens from Carcar City in Cebu participated in last month’s Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Advocacy through Technology (IDEATe) event organized by the two telecommunications companies together with Carcar City’s Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs and the French non-governmental organization Passerelles Numériques Philippines (PNPh).

They enhanced their digital skills and learned how to avoid text and online scams, such as the various forms of phishing.

Tech-savvy student-volunteers from PNPh taught the senior participants and made the workshop easier and fun by presenting entertaining skits and performances.

The event also includes a mental health awareness session to guide the participants in managing their mental health while navigating the world of digital technology and social media.

Carcar City Mayor Mario Patricio P. Barcenas thanked PLDT, Smart and PNPh for the training.

“It is necessary for our seniors to keep up with the advancement of technology as this can assist them in their everyday tasks, especially in terms of communicating and connecting with their friends and families,” he said.

“The insights we learned from this training will serve as our defense against scams and will enable us to improve our daily activities with the help of technology. We thank LGU Carcar City and its partner organizations PLDT and Smart, for their efforts to empower us, senior citizens,” said Arturo A. Unabia, Carcar City Senior Citizens Federation president.

“It is always a meaningful experience whenever we conduct this digital training for our senior citizens. We are grateful for this partnership with LGU Carcar City and PNPh, which allowed us to promote our digital inclusion advocacy to more seniors in Cebu,” said Marylou B. Gocotano, Stakeholder Management Visayas Relations head at PLDT and Smart.

The IDEATe program is aligned with PLDT and Smart’s much larger program to help the country achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 10 on reducing inequality by promoting social and economic inclusion while safeguarding its customers from all forms of cybercrime. These advocacies underscore the PLDT Group’s commitment to assist in the government’s key digitalization efforts.