Cooperative (PFPC) in Lanao del Sur. The small cooperative produces rice and
Maranao delicacies like konsiri, pabrot, and tamongkos, to benefit farmers, out-of-
school youth, widows, and orphans.
“After the Marawi siege and the pandemic, our cooperative’s income slowly decreased. We could not sell our products due to the strict security protocols and
lockdowns. Despite life’s challenges, we persevered,” Aslia said. “I am very thankful that
I got to participate in PLDT and Smart’s training because it has brought us a lot of help.
Because of PLDT and Smart, many businesses like our coop will continue to thrive in
selling online,” she added.
As the chairwoman of PFPC, Aslia makes it a point to continue learning new skills to elevate their cooperation. Despite multiple challenges that nearly destroyed
their livelihood, from the Marawi siege to the COVID-19 pandemic, she continues to
focus on building more opportunities for their enterprise. One workshop Aslia made sure
to attend was PLDT and Smart Communications, Inc.'s (Smart) eBizNovation program,
to ensure that their business remains competitive.
In collaboration with the Provincial Government of Lanao del Sur, PLDT and Smart
launched their first capacity-building program in Marawi City in 2022, to help
cooperatives and MSMEs earn more by selling products online. This is where Aslia first
learned the importance of online promotion and selling, which have since helped their
coop improve their income. This year, she also joined the PLDT group’s latest training
on content creation and e-commerce entrepreneurship, leveling up her skills in the
online marketplace.
PLDT and Smart’s eBizNovation program aims to leverage digital technologies to
develop and improve the lives and livelihoods of communities across the country. These
efforts are part of the group’s commitment to support the United Nations Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 1: No Poverty, SDG 5: Gender Equality,
and SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth. PR
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