The telcos are ensuring that families will be able to be connected to one another amid the tense situation in the region.
In a posts on his official account on X, formerly Twitter, billionaire Manny Pangilinan announced that his telecommunications companies PLDT and Smart are offering free calls for Filipinos in countries affected by the conflict in the Middle East.
He noted that PLDT is offering free calls to the Philippines for Pinoys in Iran, Israel, Iraq, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, the UAE and Saudi Arabia through its TinBo app, where it will make use of a Smart Virtual Number.
Meanwhile, PLDT, Smart, and TNT subscribers in the Philippines will also be able to call to the same countries for free until March 7, with Pangilinan saying that they will monitor the need for an extension.
In the posts made by the companies, the mechanics were further explained.
According to Smart, it will indeed provide free calls from the Philippines to the Middle East. However, these will be only for a maximum of two calls per day is allowed, with each call capped at 5 minutes.
Its Smart Care Crisis Hotline +632 88 457799 is also free for Filipinos abroad, while the DMW-OWWA 1348 hotline can be reached via the Smart Virtual Number in the TinBo app.
As for PLDT, its Home IDD calls are free for up to 30 minutes, with no daily limit. It noted that the offer is exclusive to PLDT Home Fixed Landline subscribers and is not applicable to Landline Plus & Call All.