JEDDAH, 25 May — Telegram-style messaging may be a thing of the past to many, but in the Philippines it still has its place.
Take e-Sulat. A project of PT&T, e-Sulat is an Internet-based messaging and delivery service that allows people to send e-mail messages from abroad to their loved ones or friends who do not have e-mail address or computer access in the Philippines.
Although text messaging are now also widespread among Filipinos, there are still millions at home who either cannot afford to buy their own cell phones or who reside in places that have no phones or are not covered by cell sites.
Under the e-Sulat system, a Filipino residing abroad can e-mail his or her letter to a loved one in a remote place in Samar, for instance, care of PT&T. Because PT&T has stations all over the Philippines, a message will be routed to the station nearest to the address.
According to the PT&T website, e-mail letters can be delivered the same day as “rush” message if received from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. (Philippine time).
If the “rush” message is received at 8 a.m. onward, it will be delivered the next day and will be charged as a “regular” e-mail.”
The sender can also opt for an instant reply from the recipient of the message by paying the reply in advance.
“This is a very useful service for our kababayan who have relatives or friends who have no access to computers and cell phones,” says Tony Ranque, an Al-Khobar-based OFW who first introduced the PT&T program to Filipinos in the Kingdom.
He said the e-Sulat can be sent to the Philippines from Australia, Brunei, Canada, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Taiwan, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and the United States.
Ranque is the current vice president of Concerned OFWs Association (COFWA), a partner of the OWWA in helping distressed Filipinos in the Eastern Region.
He is also an active member of e-Lagda, the Internet-based group of Filipinos campaigning for transparency and good governance at home.
To avail of the service, one has to first acquire a Kabayan e-card from any PT&T branch or authorized dealers at home and worldwide.
The e-card provides detailed instructions on how to use it.
Ranque said he can also be contacted on the mechanics of the program at e-mail address [email protected], mobile no. 053820916, or at his office, 858-6502, (from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. during weekdays) or at home at 898-2866 (from 4 p.m. during the weekdays and the whole day on Thursdays and Friday.