Technology has become a powerful bridge, allowing traditions and national celebrations to thrive in a changing world. At Grand Sinulog Festival 2026, PLDT Inc. (PLDT) and Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) brought this vision to life—enhancing the festival with exclusive perks and immersive cultural experiences that connected Filipinos everywhere to the vibrant spirit of Cebu’s most beloved celebration.
To keep devotees and festival-goers connected, Smart strengthened and optimized its 5G coverage across key event areas in Cebu City, enabling seamless data connectivity for documenting and sharing precious Sinulog moments with the rest of the world.
During the festivities, Smart Stores across key Cebu locations—SM Cebu, Ayala Center Cebu, SM Seaside, and Gaisano Mactan—transformed into vibrant festival hubs featuring cultural performances by award-winning groups Lumad Basakanon Dancers and RAVS DBC. Festival-goers also scored exclusive Sinulog merchandise and commemorative items through Smart's in-store activations.
Extending the festivities beyond mall locations, Smart reached the prepaid rider community through strategic outbound activations at SB Parkmall, Baseline, and Vibo Axis—ensuring that more Cebuanos experienced the festival excitement firsthand.
Smart also brought the Sinulog experience to the youth through campus blitzes at major Cebu schools, including University of the Visayas-Main, Cebu Technological University-Main, Southwestern University, and Abellana National School.
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| A Sinulog reveler visits the Smart booth to score exclusive freebies as part of the telco’s in-store activations that brought the festival experience closer to customers. |
Powering the Faith: Enabling Global Participation in Fiesta Señor
Beyond the street dancing and festivities, PLDT and Smart powered the livestream of the 461st celebration of Fiesta Señor, allowing devotees worldwide to participate in this centuries-old religious celebration through fast and reliable connectivity.
This connectivity support enabled real-time streaming of key religious activities, including the Novena Masses, Walk with Mary, Visperas, Fiesta Señor, Thanksgiving Day, Misa de Traslacion, Adlaw sa Hubo, and Send-off Mass.
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| A festival-goer snaps a selfie at PLDT Home’s booth while enjoying Sinulog-themed freebies, part of the telco’s exclusive perks and activations during the celebration. |
Meanwhile, PLDT Home provided fast and reliable connectivity to Cebu-based media outlets to ensure comprehensive coverage of the festivities. PLDT Enterprise also extended connectivity support to the Cebu City Public Information Office for seamless coordination and public communication throughout the event.
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| Smart deployed a Multi-Element On Wheels (MEOW) across key Sinulog areas to boost network capacity and ensure seamless connectivity for the thousands of festival-goers documenting and sharing their moments online. |
For Catherine Unger, a visually impaired devotee from Mandaue City, technology has become her bridge to faith.
"When I cannot attend the mass in person, I have alternative means such as the radio or my smartphone. I participate by listening either through radio or online. Thanks to social media and technology. These days, I tune in to the livestream on Facebook or YouTube. I also follow the official pages of the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño de Cebu," Unger shared.
Her story reflects the meaningful impact of digital connectivity in making religious celebrations accessible to all Filipinos, regardless of physical limitations or geographical boundaries.
Through these initiatives, PLDT and Smart continued to demonstrate their commitment to connecting Filipinos to the moments, traditions, and celebrations that matter most—proving that faith and festivity can reach every corner of the globe.
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