Press Release
Smart, MIAA award Grand Salubong Raffle winners
Mary Faith Ebuen receives the key to the Isuzu Crosswind in behalf of her daughter, Kathleen, a flight attendant based in Dubai. With her is (from right), Smart Sales and Business Development and International Services Group Head Piercelen Bayani, husband Ladislaw and son Ron John, Isuzu Philippines Corp. Assistant Division Manager Myrna Gonzales, Viva hot babe Jen Rosendahl and Manila International Airport Authority Assistant General Manager for Airport Development and Corporate Affairs Tirso G. Serrano.
[May 19, 2008/MANILA] - Winners of the Smart Pinoy OFW Grand Salubong sa NAIA Grand Raffle were present during the awarding ceremonies held at the airport's arrival lobby last May 6.
The event marked the culmination of the three-month activity that ran from November 15, 2007 to February 15, 2008, which was spearheaded by Smart Communications Inc. (SMART) in partnership with the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA). The Smart Pinoy OFW Grand Salubong sa NAIA paid tribute to OFWs and other Filipinos arriving at the airport through games and a raffle open to SMART SIM holders.
A total of 136 winners coming from different parts of the country were drawn last February 28. Grand-prize winner Mary Kathleen Clare Ebuen, a flight attendant based in Dubai, won a brand-new Isuzu Crosswind XTi Limited Edition.
Twenty-five people, including Arlene Pineda and Maria Angelica Garcia, who worked in Dubai and kept in touch with her three kids through their Smart cell phones, won WOW Magic Sing microphones.
Meanwhile, 30 people won Smart BRO computer packages, featuring a free computer and Internet access via Smart BRO. They include Analyn Del Rosario who worked in a department store in Dubai for two years and Maria Victoria Lazatin who was contracted by a Greek luxury liner for eight months. Winners of PAL Mabuhay Miles numbered 50, including Judith Hakim and Rizalyn Evasco, who vacationed in Malaysia for four months and bought her first Smart SIM upon her return. Finally, 30 people, including Arthur Ocfemia and Magelyn Tabil, each won a Smart e-Load business.
"OFWs continue to be a very important group for Smart," explains Perry Bayani, Smart's group head for sales and development. "Members of our team have gone to the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Europe and America to spend time with OFWs and their families so we can understand them and their needs better. We also work closely with government and public sectors to serve them better through exciting activities like Smart Pinoy OFW Grand Salubong sa NAIA."
The activity complements NAIA's service branding efforts, which not only include promoting excellence in basic services delivery but also holding other attractions that would uplift the passengers' travel experience. "We're grateful to Smart for being a major sponsor of our service branding efforts," shares Tirso G. Serrano, MIAA Airport Development and Corporate Affairs assistant general manager. "As early as 2007, Smart has been in the loop in bringing to fore programs that benefit passengers. And our target markets are giving us encouraging feedback."
Mary Faith Ebuen received the Isuzu Crosswind in behalf of her daughter, Kathleen, who was on a flight to Frankfurt at the time. "When we first opened the letter notifying us that she had won the grand prize, we were afraid it might be a hoax," says Mary Faith. Like most people, they have understandably grown wary of bogus messages (sent via text, email, etc.) announcing that the recipient has won a prize.
But thankfully, she shares, the letter was authentic. The Smart Wireless Center in Filinvest helped them to verify the information. "When I first called up Kathleen to tell her the good news, it was 3:30 am in Dubai. She was so excited to hear about it, she couldn't go back to sleep!"
Meanwhile, Smart BRO computer package winner Analyn Del Rosario plans to return to Dubai in 2009. But after winning in the raffle, she may rethink her plans. "Maybe I wouldn't need to go back. This computer package can be the start of a small business. An Internet café would be very useful in my hometown of Bauan, Batangas."
Smart is the country’s leading wireless services provider with 31.6 million subscribers as of end March 2008. Its products and services are available in over 200 countries abroad in partnership with over 400 international network partners. Through PLDT Global, Smart also serves the mobile communication needs of Filipinos in Singapore and Hong Kong via 1528 Smart.
To better serve its international market, Smart launched Smart Pinoy late 2006, promoting an array of services that seek to keep the Filipino connected while abroad for employment, leisure or business. Services include IDD, international SMS and MMS, value-added services like international voice text and voice text to email, airtime reloading via Smart Load and remittance services like Smart Padala. @