88-70-75. This was our very first telephone number. Yes, I am not mistaken and there is no typo – it was only 6 digits. It was during this decade when the most famous pickup line was “Pakibaba“. Those were the days when PLDT’s idea of a party involved sharing a phone line with a stranger and hearing their random conversations whenever you pick up the phone. From the party line, it eventually evolved to three-way calling. Remember when PLDT first offered the three-way functionality? Oh dear, I guess it was every parent’s nightmare since teens back then, myself included, were on the phone until the wee hours of the morning.
The main drawback of the landline was that it wasn’t agile and as a young adolescent yearning to discover new things, I was always out. A few years later technology gave birth to a new gadget that was mainly used by professionals until it reached the hands of teens and became an instant must-have. Every student had a small chain clipped to one’s pocket and at the end of it was a small Tamagotchi like gadget, called the Pager, or more commonly known by the sound it made, the beeper. Thanks to PLDT’s Smartpage my parents and friends were able to contact me. Even though it was able to address the connectivity concerns of the fixed landline, something was still missing – Privacy. There will always be that strange feeling confessing your undying love to a random operator who will take your message.
Both the telephone and the beeper are ancient compared to today’s standards and now have been replaced by more modern marvels. I can never imagine what my life would be without the mobile phone and the internet. Ever since I got my first Smart line and brick like phone that looked like a cordless phone, something in me changed. Believe it or not, I used to be a shy and timid girl. I was hesitant to talk to random strangers and people mistook my being an introvert as being “Mataray“. From the advent of texting and internet based messaging platforms, such as mIRC, ICQ and Yahoo Messenger, all of them helped me break out of my shell and I was able to gain confidence in having conversations. Back then, dial-up and cryptic speed was the norm and hearing the modem connect to the internet, was music to my ears. Once connected, I spent sleepless nights being online, chatting with my friends and making new ones. ASL anyone? 😉
Today, smartphones and mobile data are now a necessity rather than a luxury. I do admit that my phone has now been an integral part of my life that it rivals food and water in terms of my daily sustenance requirements. I am guilty of being too reliant on my phone to function on a daily basis. Whenever I need something, I can always rely on my good friend, Google, to help me out. My iPhone, provided by Smart, is my personal butler, chauffeur, gym instructor, travel guide, concierge, navigator, secretary, walking encyclopedia, DJ, and photographer. It literally made the world smaller and everything now is at an arms-length.
The internet (thanks to the PLDT group!) did not only make my life convenient but it also shaped who the person I am today. With my phone, I became an independent woman and helped me gain confidence in expressing myself. Who would have thought that a reserved and modest girl like me would even consider starting a blog? What started off as a personal blog 8 years ago has now evolved into a beauty, fashion and lifestyle blog. Together with all social media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, they have been instrumental in giving me a voice to share and help out people who share the same interests I have – make-up, skincare, fashion styling, travel, tech, etc. My blog has empowered me by giving me a voice to share my views, reviews and advice to my readers. Aside from blogging, it also paved the way to the world of modeling. It opened up an avenue I never thought was possible for non-celebrities like me. This opportunity I owe it all to being online.
It’s true that technology can have its negative effects – and it can be an endless debate but no one can argue its benefits. In my case, it shaped and changed my life from my behaviors and habits. Wow, this post has been nostalgic. It was a trip down memory lane and has become an ultimate throwback! Honestly, I couldn’t imagine what innovations the PLDT Group has yet to offer in the future, but I could sense they’re even bigger and better – something that could revolutionize the world, and perhaps, the society.
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