Smart Extraordinary Story - Submit Your Entry Now!

The deadline for Smart Extraordinary Story submissions is midnight of June 30, 2011. So if you have a story of how a Smart product or service was able to help make your life extraordinary, feel free to submit your entry HERE.

Smart sent me a number of good submissions that they've received so far. Here's one story I particularly enjoyed reading as both of my parents are from La Union and I'm a big fan of volunteerism and public service (Note that this is just a sample submission and is not yet the winning entry. The contest is still ongoing.) --

My Greater Opportunity to Touch People's Lives
by Noel Oribio



I am 32 years old, a Physical Therapist in a tertiary hospital in San Fernando City, La Union. Our patients have movement problems and bodily dysfunctions related to affectations of the brain, spinal cord, nerves, muscles, bones and joints.

I am also the founder and director of the La Union Physical Therapy Society that cares for the community. We provide free services and advocacy, seminars and workshops. And as a lifetime member of the Philippine Physical Therapy Association, I am very active in attending conventions and seminars throughout the country.

The Caring Touch Rehabilitation Physical Therapy Services that I put up also provides PT to patients at home. My business plan previously won in competitions in Cebu City and Makati City. Also, I provide online English tutorials to Koreans in Seoul. And coach examinees for the TOEFL iBT within the region.

My family is also very important to me, I visit my parents and relatives during the weekends and so we keep in touch through phone calls, text messages, and facebook chat throughout the week. Being single, I enjoy my limited time out with friends. But we keep in touch online and by phone calls. I enjoy traveling and reading books, writing essays, sharing my thoughts and opinions and just being myself.

Most often than not, I have to sacrifice something, maybe an appointment or time with family to cope up with my day; constantly on my toes juggling all my business.

Then one day, dad asked if I have been smart in my decisions. I said sure. Fathers’ actions speak volumes of how much they care for us. He gave me a SMART data plan that came with the Samsung Galaxy Tab for my birthday. Wow!

With a SMART data plan with unlimited internet connection, monthly free call minutes and SMS, I started to realize the bigger picture. My days are no longer fragmented by tasks, appointments and missed time with loved ones.

I am totally connected through SMART Communications 24-7.

I might be in Cebu attending a post-graduate course but anyone can get in touch with me by voice call, video call, messaging through SMS, messenger, facebook and more.

While at work, my mom was being rushed to the emergency room due to elevated blood pressure. I’m calm because my sister has already informed me thru my SMART phone.

While coaching an examinee, an urgent email came in and I simply checked it and then back to my student without breaking a sweat. At church, I have to teach a gospel class and I failed to bring a resource, then I can just go online and download it on my phone.

At a convention in Manila, my Alma Matter sent me an email that I will be receiving an award for being one of the most outstanding alumni. I posted it on facebook and was rewarded with “Likes” and congratulatory comments!

On my way home, a patient sent me a message about the exercises he’s supposed to do at home. By checking my files on my phone and downloading more online I sent him detailed instructions with photos and some videos. He was very thankful.

At a patient’s home, a query was sent to me through my SMART phone, a community was asking if we could provide a seminar for stroke patients. I easily got the attention of the members of the board for a meeting by sending a group message.

Reading my online newspaper through my SMART phone, I received a tweet from PBSP, they’re on TV. I am very glad to know that they are supporting more worthwhile projects.

Monitoring several group sites and email accounts is now possible in one sitting. High school classmates based abroad are coming home for a reunion, classmates are informed online and by calls and text messaging. Organizing it was easy - we had a very successful event.

I needed a software to monitor my progress with the treadmill. I downloaded it instantly from the android market. My SMART data plan never failed to deliver.

Voice and video chats with clients in Seoul and buddies in the States, Australia, Saudi Arabia, and other parts of the world have been very clear through my SMART connection.

And then there’s a new movie but I don’t want to go to the crowded cinemas. What to do? I downloaded it from SMART movies. Same thing is true with SMART music.

Recently, I am very much interested to pursue my Masters in Physiotherapy. Following up on my scholarship application with the Australian embassy is made simple through my SMART phone. The website is automatically loaded in my browser and my account settings logged in.

I wake up in the morning with my online radio as an alarm from my Smart phone, go through my busy day meeting people, receiving messages and calls through my SMART phone, responding to facebook comments, getting tweets, posting group messages online, setting up meetings, registering for seminars and workshops, getting in touch with other professionals for an upcoming event, and more. The list goes on. At night, I have to log my day’s events in my phone and in my personal online journal/ blog. And with the dawn comes another sunrise. Another day filled with so many blessings, and plans to realize.

And through it all, what makes it extraordinary is my greater opportunity to touch people’s lives everyday, made possible through my SMART data plan.