It’s been a year since the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the presence of a global pandemic. Needless to say, things have never been the same. Indeed, there is a great demand for fiber connection, a reliable and fast internet, since most things are now online.
To this day, the Philippines has been under various degrees of community quarantine. Because of this, students nationwide have to shift to blended learning. Also, a good number of the country’s workforce work from home. Truly, people have been sheltering-in-place as much as possible.
However, the ongoing pandemic did give rise to some unexpected, positive byproducts. For instance, McKinsey & Company research shows that the pandemic has accelerated the digital transformation of companies by 3-4 years. Certainly, technology paved the way for people to stay productive and connected amidst the ongoing crisis. It has helped people to provide food on their tables amid job insecurity and rising costs of basic necessities.
The Rise of Online Shopping
According to online shopping platform Zalora CEO Paul Campos III, 91% of Filipino internet users searched for goods and services to buy amid the quarantine period. Further, 76% of these people ended up buying through their online searches. Primarily, this is because Filipinos had limited mobility due to community quarantines.
As we all know, during the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), everyone was mandated to stay at home. Basically, only one person from each household can leave their homes for essential purposes. Thus, a lot of people turned to online shopping. Even when the government imposed less strict quarantine protocols, a lot of people remained to do their shopping online.
Because of the sudden popularity of online shopping, a lot of businesses had to recalibrate their business models as well. Indeed, a lot of brands opened their own websites. Even some companies started offering new products or services to address the wants and needs of the market.
Also, there was a sudden rise of new online businesses. In fact, online selling provided a means for a lot of people to make ends meet. Really, this applies especially to those whose jobs were affected by the quarantine.
Basically, most, if not all marketing plans made at the start of 2020 were chucked out of the window. Companies had to pivot to stay afloat amid the pandemic. New businesses emerged. Going digital became a necessity for companies to connect with their audience. Further, it gave them the opportunity to recruit new customers. In the fight to remain operational, the internet became a must-have tool for most businesses.
Cashless Transactions
Similarly, with the increasing popularity of shopping online came the proliferation of cashless transactions. Per international payments firm PayPal, 9 out of 10 Filipino users of electronic payment systems prefer making cashless transfers. This is due to public health considerations, and of course, convenience and practicality.
Accordingly, a lot of online shopping platforms opened various options for payment as well. This is to make every shopping experience more convenient and accessible. After all, not everyone has a credit card. In fact, majority of Pinoys don’t even have bank accounts. According to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), only 29% of Filipino adults have bank accounts as of 2019.
Working From Home as the Status Quo
As mandated by the government, most of the Filipino workforce had to pivot to a work-from-home setup. Thus, companies had to equip their employees with the necessary tools to stay productive. At the same time, they ensured that all their data were safe and secured. Thus, having good and maximized internet connection became a must-have for most employees.
Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google meetings became a normal part of the typical employee’s routine. Likewise, a lot of work-teams have turned to using messaging apps more to keep in touch. Now, people became more reliant on technology than ever before. Having strong and stable internet could make or break one’s productivity levels.
A year later, the government has slowly allowed more people to return to working in the office. However, a lot of companies have decided that their workforce should still work from home. This is to ensure their people’s safety, and lessen foot traffic in their respective offices.
Learning at Home
In the same way, since the onset of the pandemic, the Department of Education (DepEd) mandated children to study at home. Hence, students with the capability to do so turned to online learning to continue their studies. On the contrary, those who are not equipped with the necessary devises had to use other means. Such include radio and print handouts.
Truly, the internet has been the main platform for children to pursue their studies, as well as keep in touch with their friends. Similarly, it has provided the means for students to stay in touch with their teachers and other educators. Further, it has even bridged children who are not allowed to see each other. Clearly, it has been very helpful as minors are restricted from leaving the house. The web has also provided some much-needed entertainment as they’re not allowed to play with other kids.
The Power of Fiber Connection
Absolutely, having fast and stable internet connection at home has always been a necessity for Pinoys. However, the ongoing pandemic magnified its importance even more. Through the net, people can stay in touch, shop, study, work, and even entertain themselves. That is why it is important for Filipinos to subscribe to unlimited fiber connection.
Hooray! A great provider of unlimited fiber internet in the country is Streamtech. It is one of the Philippines’ newest waves in fiber connection. Streamtech offers products and services to help Filipinos stay connected and productive amid the pandemic, and beyond.
In addition to unlimited fiber internet and cable TV bundles, Streamtech also upgrades homes with high-quality products tailor fit to their needs. This is through products such as wifi extenders, gaming kits, vlogging kits, and digital class bundles. Now more than ever, meeting your needs through having a reliable internet service provider in the Philippines is not just a luxury. That’s why it is a wise choice for Filipinos to switch to Streamtech today.
To know more of how you can get better connectivity, visit its Official Facebook Page.