MANILA, Philippines, February 18, 2011 – Clients of PLDT may no longer worry about the security of their vehicles and other property on the field.

In an intensified effort to provide security to its corporate clients, PLDT has announced its VIP Protection Program. The VIP program is short for “Vehicles with Intelligent Protection” and is powered by PLDT FASTrack, a Machine-to-Machine (M2M) Global Positioning System (GPS)-enabled asset security and tracking solution.

Jovy Hernandez, vice president and head of PLDT Corporate Business Group, said the increasing number of vehicle-related crimes like theft, abduction, and carjacking have caused apprehension among many people, including corporate executives.

“The FASTrack VIP Program aims to provide businesses with affordable FASTrack packages that will equip corporate executives, employees and their vehicles with an M2M technology solution designed to combat the threat and ill-effects of criminal activities targeting vehicular assets,” said Hernandez.

The easy-to-deploy FASTrack VIP solution will focus on delivering three benefits: first, it will help companies secure their vehicles through the device’s alarm and motion sensing features; second, it will allow tracking of assets with superior accuracy using satellite-based technology; third, users can avail of the Immobilize tool, which allows the driver to take control of stolen or commandeered vehicles by shutting down the engine remotely.

PLDT FASTrack will use PLDT and Smart’s strong connectivity and nationwide coverage, enabling fleet managers, security departments and vehicle users to gain visibility and control over their vehicles from anywhere in the Philippines.

“With our intent to offer affordable FASTrack VIP packages for as low as a P999 monthly or an upfront scheme of P13,000, we expect more corporate clients to adopt global-leading asset management technology to make sure  their assets are secured, productivity is enhanced, and costs are reduced,” added Vic Tria, vice president and head of PLDT Corporate Business Solutions.

“FASTrack was especially designed for PLDT’s corporate clients. It combines GPS, GSM (mobile network) and Tramigo Landmark Data (TLD) containing Philippine geographical information into one device,” said Arto Tiitinen, president of Tramigo, the Finnish company that manufactures the tracking unit used for the PLDT FASTrack VIP Program.

Business owners and vehicle users can operate FASTrack on their own, using any portable communication device such as a mobile phone, laptop or tablet. The service allows reporting of vehicle alarms and location data directly to owners. Being a stand-alone device, FASTrack doesn’t need a hosted server. It is therefore very private and more secure.

Vehicle owners can receive alarm information in easy-to-understand text via SMS, or using map visualization through Google Earth.

“The device itself is very tough. It can operate using two power sources and two GPS antennae and withstand the roughest of conditions as it is made from military-grade material,” said Tiitinen.