Category: e-Government

Organization

Camarines Norte State College

Best Practice Focus Area/s

Strategy; Measurement, Analysis, and Knowledge Management; Operations

Year Implemented

9 January 2018

This is a Recognized Best Practice

Summary

This project/system provides a solution to the current concerns of Camarines Norte State College System in its “budget-planning” process and reporting system. It aims to prevent non-conformity to the requirements of interested external parties like the NEDA, CHED, and DBM. Initially, the system was used by the Institutional Planning and Development Office (IPDO) in the budget-planning process to promote ease, accuracy, and timeliness in the preparation of budget reports. In the development process, ease of use and accuracy were among the factors that were hypothesized to affect the timeliness and directly correlate with productivity.

The project started in the Institutional Planning and Development Office, which is responsible for consolidating budget plans of the Nine (9) delivery units of the CNSC system. Today, the eBPPro is being used by these delivery units in their respective budget preparations. The E-BPPro has ensured the alignment of the budget to the institutional development plans, the performance indicators set by CHED, and the requirements of DBM. With this, CNSC was able to meet the Budget Utilization Target, and in 2019, it qualified for the Performance-Based Bonus (PBB) after several years of non-compliance. The e-BPPro is now being reprogrammed to make it available to other State Universities and Colleges for their budget planning activities.

Background and Problem

Since the creation of Camarines Norte State College, the budget planning process has been conducted traditionally. The budget proposal was constantly subjected to changes and modifications, and the budget process usually takes six (6) to eight (8) months before getting finalized. Because of ceaseless modifications, the budget became prone to double entries, lost documents (some Programs, Projects and Activities, and Purchase Requests were nowhere to be found), and even the project titles differed when submitted to oversight agencies. This practice led to difficulties in meeting the budget utilization targets and availing of the Performance-Based Bonus, which has become elusive for the college.

Before, preparing the budget always entails high costs—on food, transport, and personal days of the Deans/Directors and other staff. The college is exposed to expenses and opportunity/productivity costs whenever a planning session is scheduled. The Institutional Planning and Development Office and the Budget Office have had a recurring issue for the past years on the “delayed” submission and multiple revisions of Annual Procurement Plans, Project Procurement Management Plans, and Total Operating Budgets. Changes in Purchase/Procurement Requests and other intervening requests for funds usually occur, resulting in repetitious modification of plans which, on the other hand, cause delayed implementation of projects and low budget utilization.

Screenshot of the Electronic Budget Planning Process application.

Solution and Impact

Before developing the Electronic Budget Planning Process Application System (e-BPPro), the plans for funding are typically a product of current priorities and the discretion of the end-users. They are not aligned with the college’s long-term goals and performance criteria. During the “cramming period,” budget plans are recycled. These were some of the difficulties in the past that the application could address.

This project also addressed the factors affecting the budget-planning process and has prepared budget plans that are user-friendly, accessible, accurate, and with a real-time feature of consolidating reports. The new system has also contributed to saving precious time and resources and increasing productivity which is the project’s primordial attribute regarding its users, the Deans, Directors, and the external parties (that require the budget information or reports).

The immediate outcome of using this application system includes the following:

  1. Cutting down the budget planning process from eight (8) months to three (3) days,
  2. Making the preparation faster from a couple of weeks to one day (of encoding)
  3. Preparation of the report in a snapshot from a couple of hours
  4. Providing accurate computation of income and projected expenses, and just recently, even the preparation of procurement requests

The common purpose is to meet immediate needs. This scenario happened because the budget plan was previously open to usual changes and “deadline” decisions. With the Electronic Budget Planning Process Application (e-BPPro), the following aspects have been resolved:

  1. Factors causing delays in preparing and submitting budget plans (APP, PPMP, PR, and TOB) have been addressed. From the average of 219 hours of actual time spent preparing the budget, it was cut down to eight (8) hours.
  2. Preparing the annual budget and all its entailing reports was significantly reduced from Php 556,800.00 to Php 67,200.00.
  3. Because of the real-time generation of reports, budget analysis, realignment, and adjustment became easier for the budget office;
  4. Early procurement of supplies and materials was made possible; thus, the College was able to meet the requirements of both GPPB and AO25 for PBB;
  5. The budget is now more accurate, timely, standardized, and consistent with CHED’s approved plans and performance indicators.

Milestones/Next Steps

In early 2018, the project started as a research proposal to determine the issues affecting the budget planning process of Camarines Norte State College. System analysis and development of the Electronic Budget Planning Process were conducted. The system has earned the interests of other State Universities and Colleges, which indicates its potential as a best practice for collaboration and replication. During the last Quarter of 2018, the Institutional Planning and Development Office implemented the system as a budget planning tool for the consolidation of Program, Projects, and Activities (PPAs) and the Project Procurement Monitoring Plan (PPMPs) of CNSC’s nine (9) delivery units.

In the First Quarter of 2019, the application was used by all the delivery units for their respective budget planning process with the inclusion of the Total Operating Budget (TOB) Report, Consolidated Annual Procurement Plan (APPs), and the generation of Purchase Requests PRs). In early 2020, the General Administrative and Support Services was included, transforming it into an integrated system and no longer a stand-alone tool for IPDO when conceptualized.

For the past three years, the system contributed to realizing the Capital Outlay targets of Camarines Norte State College, qualifying it as one of the top-funded State Universities and Colleges in the Bicol Region and among the highest in the country. Notably, in 2018, CNSC became eligible for the Performance-Based Bonus (PBB) grant.

Organization

University of the Philippines Diliman

Best Practice Focus Area/s

Operations

Year Implemented

October 2019

This is a Recognized Best Practice

Summary

The development of the UP Diliman Supply and Property Management Office (UPD SPMO) Common-use Supplies and Equipment (CSE) Portal was initially conceived as a project of the 2018 ASPIRE Training for process streamlining and improvement. The SPMO group of the UPD ASPIRE Batch 1 and 2 proposed to streamline the existing process of ordering of common-use supplies and equipment from the UPD SPMO Central Storeroom to a Lazada-type of online ordering for CSE items procured from the PS DBM. This was in accordance with Republic Act No. 11032, otherwise known as the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018.

Background and Problem

Before developing the Supply and Property Management Common-Use Supplies and Equipment (SPMO CSE) Portal, the total number of days for processing the request for issuance of Common-Use Supplies and Equipment (CSE) is around four days. Outlined below is the process flow on how the end-users request/order supplies from the UP Diliman SPMO:

  • Step 1. The end-users call the UP Diliman SPMO if the items are available at the Central Storeroom of UPD SPMO.
  • Step 2. If the items are available, they will manually prepare a Requisition and Issue Slip (RIS) and have it signed/approved by the Head of Unit and budget cleared by the Accounting or Budget Office.
  • Step 3. Submit the approved Requisition and Issue Slip (RIS) at the UPD SPMO Central Storeroom to issue Common-Use Supplies and Equipment (CSE).

The problem occurs when the approved and budget-cleared Requisition and Issue Slip (RIS) is submitted to UPD SPMO, and the supplies are no longer available. This results to the cancellation of the approved and budget-cleared Requisition and Issue Slip (RIS), and the users will have to repeat the process. Some items in the RIS are partially canceled due to the non-availability of stocks upon submission of approved RIS. As per data gathered from October 2018 to September 2019, 58% of RIS have partially canceled items and needed to go through the process again.

Below is the summary of Requisition and Issue Slips (RIS) with partial canceled items:

MonthNo. of RIS ReceivedNo. of RIS partially canceledPercentage of RIS with Cancellation
2018
October573053%
November181161%
December16850%
2019
January613862%
February423276%
March591729%
April332267%
May432558%
June4141100%
July573663%
August16956%
September843946%

Another problem encountered by the end-users is the manual issuance of Certificate of Non-Availability of Stocks (CNAS) because the end-user would make the request after they have already purchased the items. Reimbursement procedures require purchases to be made only when stocks are not available in the SPMO. Otherwise, the reimbursement may be disapproved.

The amount of time saved by the UPD SPMO in eliminating the actual issuance of CNAS is around 5 minutes from printing to the signing of the CNAS or a total of 430 minutes per day or around one person-day in a month.

Screenshot of the SPMO Portal website application.

Solution and Impact

  1. 100% adoption of the CSE Portal by UP Diliman offices/colleges/unit – All the 170 offices/colleges/units have registered. They are using the facility already, and 100% of them confirmed that it had addressed their needs, and 98.4% confirmed that it has satisfactorily improved and hastened the processing of their requests. It was easy for them to adapt to the system because it was similar to online sites like Lazada.
  2. Streamlined procurement process and Improved documentation – With the creation of a database, all data and transactions are stored in a central repository. Data recording and filing are automated at the point of transaction, so data retrieval and reporting is faster. The system also allows users to reserve items for three (3) days while they seek budget clearance and approval for the purchase. This reduces the rework that usually happens with the previous system when items with an approved budget go out of stock.
  3. Information on available balance – An added feature for the end-user is information on their available balance as any unused balance may be carried over. They can still order the previous month’s balance as it is carried over to the following month until the total quantity they provided in their APP-CSE is fully utilized.
  4. Reduced transaction turn-around time – The processing time was reduced from 4 days to just 4.5 hours per transaction. This is seven times faster than the previous turn-around time. Multiply this by the number of transactions UPD SPMO processes, resulting in significant savings in manpower who can be given other types of work.
  5. Better information and planning – With the central storage of data, UPD SPMO can now analyze the movement of items, required stocking levels, seasonality, and other items that may be added to the inventory. It gives UPD SPMO the needed information to better plan and serve the university.
  6. Customized Product Catalogue – The product catalog shows whether the items are available or out of stock. It also indicates the maximum quantity each end-user can order monthly based on their submitted Annual Procurement Plan for Common-Use Supplies and Equipment (APP-CSE).
  7. Empowered end-users – The Statement of Non-Availability of Stocks (SNAS) is implemented in SPMO’s Facebook page instead of the manual issuance of the Certificate of Non-Availability of stocks (CNAS) so the need for the users to request UPD SPMO to generate the CNAS and SNAS was eliminated. The end-users can already generate these themselves from the portal resulting in a saving of 1 person per day per month.

Milestones/Next Steps

  1. Project Conceptualization as part of the Administrative Staff Program towards Institutional Resiliency and Excellence (ASPIRE) Program – a program designed to equip UPD administrative personnel with the necessary knowledge, mindset, and skills in developing and implementing a Quality Management System that will help organizations attain improved and efficient operations, sustained culture of innovation, customer-driven delivery of services, and empowered human resources:
    • August 2018–Statement of Non-Availability of Stocks (SNAS) generation through the SPMO Facebook Page;
    • May 2019 –Requisition and Issue Slip Process Flow Improvement and development of Common-Use Supplies and Equipment Portal
  2. Implementation of SNAS generation through SPMO Facebook Page–September 2018
  3. Development of the System Design–May 2019
  4. Approval of System Design–June 2019
  5. User Training – 16-17 September 2019
  6. Soft Launch of the CSE Portal–October 2019
  7. Full System Implementation–November 2019
  8. Implementation of e-wallet feature effective February 2021
  9. Delivery to end-users of CSEs effective April 2022

Title

Effective Resource Generation and Mobilization: An Inclusive and Transformative Solution for Tumauini’s Development (eRemit)

Organization

Municipal Government of Tumauini, Isabela Best Practice Focus Area/s: Leadership, Strategy, Operations

Year Implemented

January 2016

Summary

To accelerate the development and progress of its municipality, the Tumauini LGU implemented
the Effective Resource Generation and Mobilization: An Inclusive and Transformative Solution for Tumauini’s Development program (eRemit), which organizes the sourcing and distribution of municipal funds to effectively and efficiently implement the priority programs, projects, and activities identified in the local administration’s approved development plans.

Background and Problem

Before adopting eRemit in 2016, the pace of development of Tumauini was slow, as the LGU was too dependent on its 20% Development Fund (DF), which proved to be insufficient for financing the development initiatives of the local administration, especially while collections of locally-sourced revenue were extremely low.

Due to this situation, the LGU was unable to implement its planned programs and projects, which were deemed necessary to address the issues and concerns of its constituents. This has resulted in the continued prevalence of long-standing problems such as high poverty incidence, unemployment, poor quality of education, increased morbidity and mortality rates, low agricultural productivity, inefficient public service delivery, lack of access to economic activity, and the vulnerability of communities during disasters.

Solution and Impact

To effectively respond to the myriad problems plaguing their community, the Tumauini LGU developed eRemit to best manage and mobilize the municipality’s available funds towards attaining inclusive growth and development. This allows the LGU’s various units to implement their priority programs, projects, and activities with the confidence that they would have the resources needed to see them through.

The different practices instituted through eRemit are as follows:

  1. Establishment of organizational credibility for collaborative partnerships. The municipality strives to maintain its Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) and Seal of Good Housekeeping (SGH) as proof to stakeholders of the LGU’s integrity and quality performance.
  2. Formulation of development plans for collaborative partnerships. All projects requested for funding are contained in the approved development plan and identified and prioritized during consultations with stakeholders. Active participation and shared decision-making among stakeholders are also ensured during the planning process.
  3. Creation of Resource Mobilization Technical Team (RMTT). The Tumaini LGU’s RMTT is composed of the Municipal Mayor as Chairman, and its members are the Municipal Administrator, Municipal Engineer, Municipal Agricultural Officer, Municipal Planning and Development Coordinator, Municipal Social Welfare and Development Officer, Public Employment Service Officer, and Local Economic and Investment Promotion Officer. They are tasked with preparing project requirements such as proposals, financial statements, detailed engineering designs and programs of work for infrastructure projects, beneficiary profiles, and other documents for submission to a wide range of potential donors for their consideration during budget preparation.
  4. Establishment of strong leadership and linkage with resource providers/investors. The Municipal Mayor and the RMTT submit their proposals to possible resource providers, opening doors for potential partnerships. The LGU maintains a directory of NGAs and private sector organizations as potential donors for proposed projects and future undertakings.
  5. Creation of the Project Monitoring Committee(PMC), Inspectorate Team (IT), and Project Implementation Team (PIT) via Executive Order. The establishment of PMC, IT, and PIT further enhance good governance through clear, transparent, accountable, and responsive public service delivery.
Municipality of Tumauini New Municipal Hall

Once the LGU receives the funds, the PIT immediately implements the project as stipulated by municipal policy or the Memorandum of Agreement with the project’s donor. The PMC monitors the project, identifies issues and recommends remedial actions, prepares reports, and updates the MDC on the status of project implementation. The IT conducts a preliminary inspection if the project reaches an accomplishment of 95% of the total contract amount and submits a project punch list to the contractor in preparation for final project turnover.

All resources mobilized are monitored by resource partners, technical teams, and beneficiaries for accountability. The fund utilization and project status are posted in the Full Disclosure Policy Portal of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), as well as on bulletin boards located in three conspicuous places within the municipality. With the LGU’s full compliance with these requirements, the relationship with resource partners is fostered for mutual trust and benefit.

The immediate impacts of the resource mobilization efforts are as follows:

  1. Increased literacy rate from 88.73% to 99%
  2. Increased percentage of concreted roads from 21.12% to 90%
  3. Sustained zero maternal mortality rate
  4. An average increase in capital investment of 5.6%
  5. Increased tourist arrivals (ranked 8th in Region 02 in 2018)
  6. Decreased in the unemployment rate from 39.9% to 5.4%
  7. Decreased poverty incidence from 27.60% to 15.60%

The continued implementation of eRemit is projected to lead to Tumauni attaining cityhood in about five to eight years, with a competitive economy and growing tourism industry. The quality of life in the municipality has increased dramatically thanks to the projects implemented through eRemit, and the community’s goals are attained due to sharing resources and sustained good governance.

Payout of more than 2000 TUPAD Beneficiaries

Milestones/Next Steps

The total funds from various resource partners from 2016-2020 under the eRemit amounted to Php 3,775,732,056.73. Included in this amount are the following:

On Infrastructure:

  1. Concreted 73,108 m. of local roads/farm-to-market roads=PhP507,682,482.54
  2. Construction of 75 m. Dy-Abra overflow bridge=PhP44,221,629.63
  3. Opening of 3.7 kms of access road in Antagan 1st=PhP41,000,000.00
  4. Purchased 7 heavy equipment for infrastructure projects=PhP10,618,000.00

On Economic Development:

  1. Constructed a public market facility=PhP100,000,000.00
  2. Constructed 18,300 m. concrete irrigation canals=PhP210,977,851.04
  3. Constructed 4 SWIPs=PhP45,120,157.05
  4. Implemented livelihood programs benefiting 2,773 displaced workers=PhP27,247,050.00
  5. Constructed 2 multi-purpose tourism buildings=PhP5,200,000.00
  6. Constructed 1 cooperative building with fishpond facility=PhP3,500,000.00
  7. Provided 11,529 bags of palay hybrid seeds, 6,865 bags of hybrid corn seeds, and 1,770 bags of fertilizers that benefited 5,677 rice farmers and 6,865 corn farmers=PhP42,482,800.00
  8. Provided 195 fishing equipment (boat and gears) to 175 fishermen including dispersal of 783,000 fingerlings to 244 fishpond owners=PhP1,465,000.00
  9. Provided economic relief assistance to 2,667 farmers=PhP124,707,500.00
  10. Constructed 8 MPDP=PhP2,660,000.00

On Social Development:

  1. Constructed of 291 classrooms=PhP559,728,727.58
  2. Phase Construction of Multi-Purpose Building (Gymnasium)=PhP60,000,000.00
  3. Constructed a regional evacuation center=PhP70,158,202.57
  4. Constructed 5 waters systems=PhP49,138,309.64
  5. Repaired the Tumauini Cultural and Sports Center=PhP17,705,906.26
  6. Constructed a 16-bed hospital building=PhP15,250,000.00
  7. Constructed 3 IDA health centers with lying-in clinic=PhP7,690,000.00
  8. Implemented supplemental feeding program benefiting 3,194 undernourished children=P5,749,973.24
  9. Purchased 1 ultrasound machine with complete accessories=PhP2,688,000.00
  10. Repaired 26-day care centers=PhP2,614,029.28
  11. Constructed 1 hospital dormitory=PhP2,500,000.00
  12. Purchased 2 fiber boats for search and rescue operations=PhP1,800,000.00

On Environmental Management:

  1. Constructed 5,361 linear meters concrete drainage canal=PhP321,599,937.85
  2. Constructed 4 flood control systems=P130,000,000.00
  3. Established 10-hectare SLF facility=PhP8,754,776.00
  4. Purchased 2 units garbage compactors and 1 unit crawler loader for SLF=PhP6,100,000.00
  5. Constructed 2 mini parks=PhP400,000.00

On Institutional Development:

  1. Phase Construction of New LGU Multi-Purpose Building=PhP79,999,822.32
  2. Constructed 13 barangay multi-purpose buildings=PhP31,500,000.00
  3. Constructed three office buildings and one staff quarter for NIA-TIS employees=PhP107,200,000.00

The total resources mobilized were commended during the 2019 SGLG National Validation. For the second time, Tumauini was conferred with the prestigious SGLG by the DILG on November 4, 2019, at the Manila Hotel. The LGU also passed the SGH due to its full compliance with FDPP, which entitled the LGU with a Performance Challenge Fund (PCF) subsidy amounting to P2 Million in 2018 and P3.2 Million in 2019.

At present, the Municipal Mayor, who is also the President of the Isabela Chapter of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP), is helping other LGUs by sharing the best practice and endorsing them to different resource providers with whom the Tumauini LGU has established strong partnerships so that they too can request funds for their planned and unfunded programs and projects. The LGU shall endeavor to expand its resource mobilization partnerships not only at the local and national levels but also internationally with the endorsement of the Regional Development Council (RDC) for Region II and the national government, especially for proposed big projects, such as a hydropower facility and a small-scale dam, for the continuous growth and development of the municipality.

Title

DOLE Online Systems

Organization

Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)

Best Practice Focus Area/s

Strategy, Measurement, Analysis and Knowledge Management, Operations

Year Implemented

2014

Summary

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Online Systems is a collection of digitalized services, particularly around the task of labor inspection (LI). Included among the Online Systems are (1) the Labor Inspection-Management Information System (LI-MIS), which allows for decision-making, coordination, control, analysis, and visualization of information on labor laws compliance; (2) the Joint Monitoring System (JMS), which generates joint monitoring findings and critical details like rates in initial compliance and compliance after correction; and (3) the Establishment Reporting System (ERS), which streamlines the documents and reports required from establishments in the private sector.

Background and Problem

In 2009, DOLE, through the Bureau of Working Conditions (BWC), requested the International Labor Organization (ILO) for an audit of the Philippines’ LI processes. The findings and recommendations of the audit were then used by the Department to support the preparation of a performance improvement plan to reform, revitalize, and restructure the entire LI system.

One of the recommendations was to address the time required for labor inspectors to undertake a practical inspection by eliminating identified time wasters. According to 2020 data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), DOLE had less than 200 labor inspectors against around 784,000 establishments. The disparity is significant, making it so that each workplace is inspected on average only once every 16 years. This low coverage and limited LI capacity of DOLE raises the need to reform and provide further support to LI in terms of policy, human resources, and technological intervention.

Establishments were still required to report to DOLE during the COVID-19 pandemic even though community quarantine travel restrictions and transportation limitations were in effect. This hastened the need for DOLE to provide contactless services, pushing them to create online platforms to submit several administrative documentary requirements mandated under the Labor Code and other relevant laws and standards. Pandemic conditions also brought about an urgent need for policy changes to ensure the safety and health of the public.

With the official declaration of a state of calamity through Proclamation No. 929, many establishments were forced to temporarily suspend operations or implement other work arrangements in compliance with government restrictions during community quarantine. This left many employers with no choice but to lay off workers or permanently close due to losses in income, creating an influx of requests and submissions to DOLE from more than 100,000 establishments, reporting and affecting over three million workers.

Solution and Impact

From these circumstances and their findings from the audit, DOLE updated and digitalized their services, particularly in LI. These Online Systems allow for more comprehensive and timely service delivery, allowing the Department to address the concerns about its own shortage of inspectors as well as the complications brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Labor Inspection-Management Information System (LI-MIS)

The LI-MIS is the information system now being used by DOLE for its decision-making, coordination, control, analysis, and visualization of information on labor laws compliance. It is an online, web-based application that utilizes information technology to transmit and process real-time labor inspection data collected from the field using an electronic checklist. It further improved the collection and sharing of information, administrative transparency, and accountability. LI-MIS also consisted of a more proper, precise, and vast data coverage, improving the Department’s capacity for advisory and technical assistance on LI matters.

The development of the LI-MIS was also accompanied by a major reform agenda which shifted DOLE’s compliance monitoring policy from a purely regulatory model to a progressively developmental system to achieve a culture of voluntary compliance with labor laws and ensure expeditious and non-litigious settlement of disputes through settlement as a primary mode of disposing of labor cases. Before the policy shift, there had been no significant changes on labor standards compliance given the little coverage of inspection, low participation, and the need for advocacies and capacity building of stakeholders.

Additional labor inspection personnel were also requested to ensure broader coverage. This increased staffing complement, combined with revised job descriptions, labor inspector positions, upgraded training programs, and information campaigns, was essential in reaching substantial compliance to labor standards.

The Joint Monitoring System (JMS)

Before the JMS, the department relied on Google Forms to submit monitoring reports. But with the JMS in place, the department now has its own mechanism of generating joint monitoring findings and critical details like rates in initial compliance and compliance after correction. Regional implementers could now also create data and manage their performance. This allowed regional offices to provide data and better coordinate with other government regulating agencies in their jurisdiction.

Establishment Reporting System (ERS)

Lastly, the Establishment Reporting System (ERS) was created to streamline the documents and reports required from establishments in the private sector. Several administrative requirements will be submitted through this site as a central platform. Through this system, employers no longer need to physically submit establishment reports to DOLE since reportorial requirements can be completed remotely through the ERS. This ensured the safety of DOLE employees and minimized the risk of contracting the virus since the need for physical contact has been removed in this process.

Milestones/Next Step

In 2019, the Bureau of Working Conditions received a Special Citation for Best Practice for the LI-MIS program. Best practice was defined as a novel policy or program that improved operational processes or methods and contributed to achieving organizational goals. This recognition was under the Most Innovative Office Award during the 86th DOLE Foundation Anniversary.

Title of Productivity and Innovation Initiative

Mauban eLearningVille

Implementing Agency

Municipal Government of Mauban, Quezon

Year Implemented

2011

Theme/s

Digitization & New Technologies

General Description

Mauban eLearningVille is the Technology for Economic Development (Tech4Ed) Center of the Municipal Government of Mauban, Quezon. It was established on September 22, 2011, through Sangguniang Bayan Resolution No. 08-2011, as a Public-Private Partnership Program of the Mauban LGU, Quezon Power Philippines Limited. Co., PLDT, the Department of Science and Technology-Information and Communications Technology Office (DOST-ICTO), National Computer Center (NCC), University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU), the Representative of Quezon Province’s first congressional district, and the Philippine Community eCenter Network, Inc.

Background and Problem

Mauban is a first-class coastal municipality in the northeast section of Quezon Province composed of 40 barangays, 10 of which are located in urban areas. Although the municipal government offers various initiatives to provide quality education for all, ICT education was said to be very limited due to the absence of ICT facilities, equipped trainers, and the lack of access to the Internet. In 2011, several computer shops emerged in the municipality. However, these facilities were not conducive to learning given that most are set up primarily for online gaming. This paved the way for the introduction of the Mauban eLearningVille to address the digital divide and contribute to the digital literacy of residents in the municipality.

Solution and Impact

Mauban eLearningVille serves as the ICT hub in Mauban providing constituents with affordable Internet and computer access, ICT skills training opportunities, and free co-working space for webinars and virtual meetings. Most of the clients are barangay leaders, NGOs, and farmers who do not have access to the Internet. The center also conducts basic digital literacy training and various other skills training and seminars, such as English as a Second Language (ESL), MS Office Applications, Adobe Photoshop, and many others. It has helped individuals from different walks of life, including teachers, students, senior citizens, indigenous people, and persons with special needs. Mauban eLearningVille also supports the LGU in developing information, education, and communication (IEC) materials, such as emergency hotline stickers for all households within the municipality, brochures, manuals, and tarpaulin announcements among others.

The Tech4Ed Center also renders other ICT-related services for the LGU. In partnership with the Municipal Agriculture Office (MAO), Mauban eLearningVille facilitates the encoding of application forms of over 1,000 fisherfolks and coconut farmers in the municipality for the Registry System for the Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA), which is a registry of farmers, fisherfolk, and farm laborers that serves as a basis for the identification of beneficiaries of Bayanihan Act II subsidy and other agriculture-related programs and services of the government.

In partnership with DSWD, the center also helped expedite the printing and distribution of the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) forms to over ten thousand families in the municipality during the pandemic. To enable efficient contact tracing, it also facilitated the processing and issuance of Authorized Person Outside Residence (APOR) IDs for teachers in Mauban who are residing outside the municipality. The center was also in charge of issuing travel clearances, Municipal Inter-Agency Task Force (MIATF) IDs, and BIR forms.

Mauban eLearningVille also supports the Teachers Development Program/En­hanced Continuing Education Program for Mauban (TDP/eCEP4Mauban) of the UPOU, in collaboration with Quezon Power Philippines Limited Co., the Department of Education Division of Quezon Province (DepEd-Quezon), and the UPOU Foundation Inc., which aims to improve the quality of education in Mauban by providing scholarship grants for public school teachers and government employees who desire to pursue graduate studies in UPOU. The center provides facilities for the ICT needs of the scholars and functions as their enrollment and examination center.

To date, Mauban eLearningVille continues to serve as the training arm of the LGU in equipping the unemployed members of the community with relevant ICT skills needed for employment. The ICT skills training in Mauban eLearningVille is recognized by DepEd-Quezon, hence many trainees who successfully completed the course were able to land a job in DepEd immediately, according to Conchita Marta Mirabueno, Tech4ED Center Manager of the Mauban eLearningVille. She explained, “At first, our aim was just to provide quality education among children in Mauban. [Moreover] this program has helped us a lot in the improvement of our livelihood and our career. There are [now] more empowered men and women in the municipality.”

Milestones

Mauban eLearningVille was recognized as an outstanding Tech4Ed Center during the 12th Knowledge Exchange Conference of the Department of Information and Communication Technology in Pasay City in September 2017. In 2016, it received recognition for its more than five fruitful years in service during the 11th Knowledge Exchange Conference held in Quezon City. In 2015, it was awarded the Most Outstanding Community eCenter (CeC) Innovator for iLevel Up Pa More during the 10th Knowledge Exchange Conference in Bacolod. In the same year, the center won 2nd Place in the DigiBayani Award for Digital Literacy by Intel Philippines. In 2012, it became one of the finalists for the Most Outstanding Community eCenter during the 8th Knowledge Exchange Conference in Davao City. In 2013, it was a finalist in the 1st Global Telecentre Awards during the 9th Knowledge Exchange Conference at SMX Convention Center.

Testimonial

“Ang mga magulang ko po ay nangangalakal lamang ng basura, kung hindi po dahil sa eLearning, hindi ko po magagawa ang mga school projects ko dahil wala kaming pera pambayad sa internet shop, dahil po mura sa kanila at bukas araw araw kaya naipaasa ko po ang mga school requirements ko on time”.

Ms. Zara Luma (2016), SHS student

“I had zero knowledge in [using] computer and I joined their 10 days digital literacy for teachers. I used it in my demo teaching when I applied for ranking at DepEd Quezon, luckily, I got a perfect score of 10 because of the knowledge I learned and used during the demo. Now I am a permanent secondary teacher at Dr. Maria D. Pastrana National High School.”

Rhianne Carla M. Gandia (2016), Teacher applicant

“Wala po kaming computer at Internet sa bahay kaya malaking tulong po sa tulad kong estudyante ang eLearningVille. Nakakagawa po ako ng mga research at nakakapag-submit ng assignments and projects dahil open ang eCenter mula 8:00 AM hanggang 9:00 PM. Nabibigyan din po ako ng free access dahil sa madalas kong paggamit ng computer dito sa eCenter. Kaya naman lalong malaking tulong sa ‘kin at sa pamilya ko.”

Nicole Adriano Princess Jade Calleja, Student

References

Aman, J. (2018). (rep.). Mauban eLearningVille Nomination Form.
Mirabueno, C. (2018). Mauban eLearningVille. Quezon; Mauban.

Romualdo, A. (2018, May 2). Making ripples in Mauban. University of the Philippines. Retrieved from https://up.edu.ph/making-ripples-in-mauban/

Municipal Government of Mauban, Quezon. (2018). Mauban eLearningVille. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdItsy5Fr4U&ab_channel=MaubaneLearningVille

Verena, R., & Gelisan, L. (2019, September 2). Teacher development program stakeholders renew partnership. University of the Philippines Open University. Retrieved from https://www.upou.edu.ph/news/teacher-development-program-stakeholders- renew-partnership/

Title of Productivity and Innovation Initiative

Baguio Contact Tracing Ecosystem

Implementing Agency

City Government of Baguio, Benguet

Year Implemented

March 2020-Present\

Themes

Management for Productivity, Quality, and Agility, Digitization & New Technologies, Perspectives on Productivity, Governance, and Development

General Description

The City Government of Baguio developed the Baguio Contact Tracing Ecosystem to serve as the main platform for implementing its plans and strategies against COVID-19. The system harmonizes seventeen cluster areas headed by health professionals with about 20 to 40 members per cluster, using epidemiological analysis to study the spread of the virus across the population. The organizational framework also includes an auxiliary team composed of police officers, investigators, and medical technicians.

Background and Problem

Through the years, the Baguio LGU has dealt with numerous infectious diseases such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), meningococcemia, vaccine-preventable diseases, food and waterborne diseases, and dengue through the effort of the Health Services Office (HSO) City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (CESU). Learning from these past outbreaks, the CESU has emphasized contact tracing as an essential tool for public health. However, despite myriad reasons to establish a contract tracing system, such as the 2005 Meningococcemia outbreak which severely affected Baguio’s tourism industry and the fact that more than 70 Filipinos dying every day due to tuberculosis, the necessary technology has not been given much attention in the Philippines until the outbreak of COVID-19.

Screenshot of the Baguio Inoculation Digitize App

Solution and Impact

Given his experience as the Director of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group from 2013 to 2015, Mayor Magalong, in April 2020, gathered the city’s epidemiologists, information technology experts, software engineers, computer programmers, and the police to discuss the development of a homegrown contact tracing mobile application. It took only two weeks of preparatory work to integrate health informatics with information technology, allowing the Baguio LGU to launch the app while simultaneously training the staff on using it.

Baguio City Mayor Magalong presents the Baguio Contact Tracing Ecosystem to WHO Regional Director Kasai and DOH Undersecretary Dr. Gerardo Bayugo

The contract tracing system is composed of police, doctors, healthcare workers, barangay health emergency response teams (BHERTS), 5-10 swab teams, a lockdown team (composed of lawyers formulating the lockdown order), disinfection teams from the city government and barangays, encoders, analysts, programmers, and technical support. This setup allows other LGUs to easily replicate this system since the city only utilized its existing manpower and resources to implement it.

Baguio Contact Tracing Ecosystem

The Baguio Contact Tracing Ecosystem uses visualizations created by its communications team to make the numbers and information more understandable to the public. It also serves as an operational tool to collect and analyze COVID-19 case data as well as a geographic information system platform. The system can generate reports required by national government agencies such as the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Department of Health (DOH), using IBM Security i2 Analyst’s Notebook software which reveals relationships between a person and the virus across space and time using the ELP (entity-link-property) methodology. This allows the system to show the possible link between COVID-19 cases, from whom the virus originated, and who will be the next person to be infected, which the HSO acts on by instituting preventive and control measures to stop the spread of the virus. Lastly, CESU also uses a Geographic Information System (GIS) to geotag all COVID-19 cases in any area, leading to better decision-making for the city government to ease restrictions.

Screenshot of the eGov Baguio Geographic Information System

What sets the Baguio Contact Tracing Ecosystem apart from other contact tracing solutions is that it uses a patient-centered approach that emphasizes the continuity of care from diagnosis, treatment, recovery and even post-illness economic relief. Furthermore, the system is integrated within the LGU’s different offices and units, allowing for the coordination of different efforts in social welfare and public order and safety.

Baguio Contact Tracing GRID System

Because of this application, the Baguio LGU was also able to implement evidence-based decision-making to lessen the economic impact of the pandemic, as it was the first LGU to implement granular lockdowns. Residents of the city can confidently rely on a robust and transparent contact tracing system implemented by the LGU, which has also strengthened the value of being truthful, especially when declaring symptoms or the location of possible COVID-19 cases. Lastly, the system has granted the LGU and the city confidence that they could capably manage such large-scale disasters.

The system has also adapted to the shifting context of the pandemic, expanding its services from just contact tracing to scheduling and tracking vaccinations and telemedicine consultations. New features include the generation of paperless vaccination certificates for its citizens and a telemedicine platform.

Screenshot of the Baguio Telemedicine Website

Milestones

The system was first launched on 20 March 2020 and it can be accessed at http://endcov19.baguio.gov.ph.
On 10 July 2020, the World Health Organization led by WHO Western Pacific Regional Director Dr. Takeshi Kasai and WHO Philippine Representative Dr. Rabindra Abeyasinghe, and DOH Undersecretary Dr. Gerardo Bayugo honored the city and its provincial governments with a field visit to learn about their best practices in managing the COVID-19 pandemic.

The system won third place nationwide as the Best in COVID-19 response in the 2020 Digital Governance Awards organized by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), and the National ICT Confederation of the Philippines (NICP) last 14 December 2020. It was also featured in sharing sessions for Myanmar in January 2021 and South Korea in October 2021.

Testimonials

“On a recent visit to Baguio, I was impressed to see first-hand the system that contact-tracing czar. And Baguio City Mayor, Hon Benjamin Magalong, and his team are implementing to #BeatCOVID19.”

Dr. Takeshi Kasai, Western Pacific Regional Director, World Health Organization, 26 July 2020.

“Baguio City is far ahead in their contact tracing because local officials are working together with health officials. This should be replicated in other LGUs in the Philippines,”

Dr. Rabindra Abeyasinghe, Philippine Representative, World Health Organization.

Sources

Cabreza, V. (2020, May 28). Philippines top stories: Politics, environment, education, trending. Inquirer.net. Retrieved April 8, 2022, from https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/

Department of Interior Local Government Cordillera Administrative Region. (n.d.). 2020 DG award: Baguio is Country’s third best in covid-19 response. Department of Interior Local Government Cordillera Administrative Region. Retrieved April 8, 2022, from https://car.dilg.gov.ph/field-office/dilg-baguio-city-home/19-dilg-baguio-city/88-2020-dg-award-baguio-is-country-s-third-best-in-covid-19-response

World Health Organization. (n.d.). WHO field visit to Baguio City and Benguet Province: Models for contact tracing and covid-19 response in the Philippines. World Health Organization. Retrieved April 8, 2022, from https://www.who.int/philippines/news/detail/29-07-2020-who-field-visit-to-baguio-city-and-benguet-province-models-for-contact-tracing-and-covid-19-response-in-the-philippines

Title of Productivity and Innovation Initiative

Project iComSys (Integrated Community Information System)

Implementing Agency

Municipal Government of Libertad, Antique

Year Implemented

2019-Present

Themes

Digitization & New Technologies, and Government of the Future

General Description

Project iComSys or the Integrated Community Information System is a data management system locally created, operated, maintained, and utilized by the Libertad LGU. This has helped shape its development and make the people the center of its governance. Project iComSys utilizes a cloud-based system responsible for collecting, managing, and utilizing databases for the respective communities. It is also concerned with the maintenance of a data banking system.

Background and Problem

The Libertad LGU has always struggled with storing, accessing, and managing the community’s data and information. Due to the lack of a system, developing programs and projects to make it more targeted is challenging because they do not have the database to identify the population that urgently needs support and assistance.

In 2016, the new administration of Mayor Mary Jean Nicopior-Te had to run a local government with an inferior data management system. The LGU depended on the PSA data, which only comes every five years, and thus planning indicators were derived from years-old records. The development planner had no choice but to use unvalidated data, while barangays relied on poor municipal records. This situation meant that decision-makers were provided with incomplete and incorrect data, resulting in poor planning and budgeting, ineffective program implementation, and inefficient local governance.

Confronted with these realities, the incumbent local chief executive was determined to change the system and established a database system that is reliable, user-friendly, accessible, updated, and secure.

Solution and Impact

The Libertad LGU acknowledged the importance of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and started to look for experts in the said field capable of developing a system. Due to its past difficulty, the municipality considered creating a system where they can store, manage, and quickly access the data of the community. These needs led to the introduction of Project iComSys in 2019.

The data collection process for Project iComSys includes enumeration, validation, encoding, and evaluation.

Project iComSys has since served as an efficient and effective tool for the municipality. It is used to gather and organize data on population, education, livelihood programs, and projects to make accurate analysis more accessible with just a simple click. Even the municipality’s map for planning and decision-making has become more accessible. Moreover, the system has motivated the municipality to continue delivering quality services to its constituents since they have a database system that serves as guidance to target the vulnerable population. The intervention was implemented from 2019 to the present. This was through a municipal executive order creating the team and implementing the Project iComSys.

Screenshot of the Geographical Information System

The population data generated by the project was also used to ensure the efficient and effective implementation of the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) during the COVID-19 community quarantine measures. Through Project IComSys, the LGU was able to identify the number of households per barangay, rank them according to economic status, prioritize eligible beneficiaries for SAP, post the data on the barangay and bulletin board for the people to see, and deliver the aid to the household beneficiaries. As not all households were qualified, the LGU provided one sack of rice and one tray of eggs to those who were not SAP beneficiaries.

Screenshot of Project iComSys Dashboard

The data management system is also at the forefront of monitoring the accomplishment of the barangay vaccination rollout. The municipal health office can identify the number of vaccinated citizens by age and gender and also monitor how many have received the first, second, and booster doses. With better information and a clearer picture of the barangays, leaders and the municipal IATF can easily plan, identify specific issues and concerns, implement better solutions, and devise a well-targeted communication plan.

In the recent distribution of cash aid for typhoon Odette, it took less than ten days to finalize the list and distribute the cash to 100% of the households in the municipality. This is because of the utilization of the population data in Project iComSys.

Milestones

During the annual Digital Governance Awards 2020, the Municipality of Libertad, Antique, was recognized for Project iComSys, and declared the 2nd placer under the category Best in eGOV Interoperability (G2G) Award. The category commends the efforts of LGUs in establishing a system that connects the data with both national and local government offices to enhance public service delivery and the benefit of their constituents.

References

DICT. (2020, December 18). Excellence in local ICT solutions recognized at DGA 2020. GOVPH. https://dict.gov.ph/excellence-in-local-ict-solutions-recognized-at-dga-2020/

Mayor Bebot Nicopior-Te. (2020, November 09). Digital Governance Awards [Facebook status update]. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/mayorbebotte/posts/digital-governance-awardsnag-intra-ang-aton-banwa-bilang-entry-sa-2020-digital-g/2511934025598264/

Mayor Bebot Nicopior-Te. (2020, December 20). Digital Governance Awards 2020 [Facebook status update]. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/mayorbebotte/posts/2588746131250386?comment_id=2588797914578541

Title of Productivity and Innovation Initiative

Barangay Centralized Wireless Network

Implementing Agency

City Government of Cauayan, Isabela

Year Implemented

2015-Present

Themes

Management for Productivity, Quality, and Agility, Digitization & New Technologies, Perspectives on Productivity, Governance, and Development

General Description

The Barangay Centralized Wireless Network is a communication network that allows for file sharing, real-time notifications, and messaging between the 65 barangays of Cauayan City. This was intended to enable faster and more timely dissemination of data between the local government of Cauayan City and its barangays. The project also provided internet to the barangays, the local government’s main point of access to the internet.

Background and Problem

Before this program, the barangays and the local government met face-to-face to discuss the concerns, plans, and programs. This arrangement had been problematic at times, given the limited availability of concerned officials. There would be times when concerned officials would even have other equally important engagements, leading to postponed meetings.

Moreover, there was no other avenue for open discussion and interaction among the barangays themselves. Data, announcements, and other information had to be transmitted first to the local government and then to the barangays rather than being transmitted among the barangays themselves. Also, information was typically transmitted through paper documents requiring a messenger to distribute them to the barangays personally.

There was also no centralized server that contained documents and data of the barangays. An internet-based solution could have been made, but some barangays did not have a stable internet connection, with those in remote areas not having internet access at all.

Solution and Impact

On August 17, 2015, access to an LTE broadband internet connection was provided to all of Cauayan City’s barangays for free. However, since LTE broadband is location-dependent, some barangays in remote areas still did not have a strong and stable connection due to their lack of proximity to the site. The LGU addressed this issue in 2017 when they worked with PLDT to install a dedicated internet connection infrastructure using fiber optics. And to this date, all five regions of the city have been installed with the same internet infrastructure. These cumulative efforts upgraded internet connectivity overall and led to the creation of the Barangay Centralized Wireless Network.

Barangay File Server located at LGU Cauayan City

The Barangay Centralized Wireless Network allows the local government to send information and documents to the barangay level in real-time. It has a LAN Messenger that allows the barangays to collaborate with other barangays and even with the local government through a private communication channel and an Intranet File Server where the local government can host the files of barangays. This allows their files to be accessed anytime without personally going to the local government office.

Sector Radio and Antenna Dashboard

The improved internet connectivity also allowed the barangays to utilize other e-media platforms and digital solutions which the local government had already developed. It also provided free internet access to the residents of the barangays via a guest WIFI network that is separate from the intranet. Their guest WIFI is also more stable because of the point-to-point sector antenna rather than a broadband connection.

Sample LAN Messenger and File Sharing

Also, with the local government managing the distribution of the internet, they can assure that internet connectivity is efficiently distributed. They are also able to cut costs because instead of paying 65 internet accounts for the barangays, the local government needs to pay only one account. It also removes the need for barangays to have individual internet postpaid plans, which over time, could save them a lot from their monthly billing.

Milestones

In 2019, Cauayan City was chosen as one of the six winning local government units in the Digital Governance Awards (DGA) because of their Barangay Centralized Wireless Network, which was awarded the “Best in eGOV Government Interoperability Empowerment” (Philippine News Agency, 2019).

And according to an interview in September 2021, Atty. Reina Santos, head of the City Information and Communications Technology Department and the designated Smarter City Officer of the local government of Cauayan, mentioned that because the network had been so warmly received and especially because of the circumstances surrounding the pandemic, the local government has been pushing for the barangays themselves to allocate greater portions of their budget to installing more internet infrastructure rather than waiting for the local government to provide them more infrastructure.

Testimonials

In the same interview, Atty. Santos also mentioned that despite Cauayan City being mostly agricultural, the network has increased demand for internet connectivity, with citizens requesting additional bandwidth.

Sources

Dela Cruz, R. C. (2019, November 29). 6 winning LGUs in Digital Governance Awards 2019 get China trip. Philippine News Agency. Retrieved October 20, 2021, from https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1087200.

Cauayan City Local Government. (2015, August 15). Official Launching of Cauayan City Free Wifi and Distribution of 2nd Batch Brgy. Patrol [Video]. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/cityofcauayanofficial/videos/1017101824996476/

Cauayan City Local Government. (2015, August 19). TV Patrol – Cauayan City Free Wifi and Patrol Vehicle News. [Video]. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/cityofcauayanofficial/videos/1018079748232017/

Title of Productivity and Innovation Initiative

Guagua Geographic Information System (GGIS)

Implementing Agency

Municipal Government of Guagua, Pampanga

Year Implemented

1997-Present

Themes

Management for Productivity, Quality and Agility, Digitization & New Technologies, and Perspectives on Productivity, Governance, and Development

General Description

The Municipal Government of Guagua is one of the first LGUs in Region III that started the development of a Geographic Information System (GIS.) Through the assistance of the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) and the Philippine Land Information System, the Guagua Geographic Information System (GGIS) project was first launched in 1997. The GGIS spatial maps and database is widely used in Comprehensive Land Use Planning (CLUP), local disaster risk management, traffic management, and the administration of tax programs such as land valuation and land use. At present, it is continuously being updated by the Office of the Municipal Planning & Development Coordinator (MPDC).

Background and Problem

The geographic location of the Philippines makes it a disaster-prone country, as it regularly faces natural hazards such as typhoons, flash floods, landslides, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions. This state of affairs is expected to intensify in severity and impact in the coming years due to climate change, continually hampering the economic development of the country and causing widespread destruction of resources and property. The 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo in particular has taken a serious toll on the people of central Luzon, displacing more than 10,000 families and dramatically altering the landscape of the area, thus necessitating an updated mapping system for preventive planning and action.

The Municipal Government of Guagua, Pampanga, is located along the Pasig Potrero River Control System (PPRCS), one of Mount Pinatubo’s main river channels, thus making the residents vulnerable to any further volcanic activity. Apart from this, land tax management, such as determining the exact figure area, is also one of the challenges since the municipality has over 10,000 parcels in just 4,875 hectares.

Solution and Impact

At present, the most frequent use for GGIS is to provide land developers and property owners with land use information, as these form the basis for property rights. The usual requested information varies in terms of property location, dimension, existing owners’ name, property rights, previous owners, missing and erroneous lots, values, and many other categories of spatial data. This removes the need to do research at the Land Management Services (LMS) since most data are available in the municipal office.

2021 GIS Map of Guagua

The GGIS can also be used to provide efficient and accurate tools for collecting, storing, retrieving, reporting, and displaying public information. The passage of a Sangguniang Bayan Ordinance through the local revenue code to collect minimum fees has helped augment the research activities of the MPDC Office.

For disaster response, thematic GIS mapping serves as an important tool to identify flooded barangays, risk areas, affected utilities, road accessibility, and possible lifelines and exit routes. In regular disaster preparedness activities, data are likewise presented in GIS format, making the discussions and planning more accurate and visually understandable.
To address resource and land use issues, GGIS is utilized to identify and analyze the development of the town’s land resources, support the preparation of land use plans for environmental regulatory programs, determining the best location for the proposed environmental projects such as landfills and material recovery facilities, identifying lots for reclassification purposes, capturing lot data for tax assessment and identification, maintaining property records, zoning, traffic management and rerouting, and tracking down encroachments, particularly along river channels.

The applications of GGIS for Guagua have also expanded to include land registration and cadastre, transportation, risk management, resource, and land use issues in the local government functions. The area of land registration and cadastre is one of the most interesting areas in the use of GGIS and Land Information System.

2021 Parcellary Map of Guagua

Milestones

Out of a total of 108 LGU-initiated programs that participated in the 2020 Digital Governance Awards, the Department of the Interior and Local Government recognized 15 LGUs for making significant changes to improve their public service delivery amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The Municipality of Guagua, Pampanga was the champion under the category Best in LGU Empowerment (G2G) for GGIS.

To date, the GIS unit is housed in the MPDC office. Although the GIS project is not a priority of the administration, data collection and encoding are continuously undertaken despite the limited funds. The office has coordinated with the Lands Management Bureau RO3 to acquire photocopies of new subdivision lot plans and with the Registry of Deeds RO3 to provide copies of all new approved titles. Although it is not equipped with a plotter, the office could produce 1:4,000- and 1:2,000-scale maps of the town by printing them in regular bond papers then cutting and connecting all the portions. These scaled, hardcopy maps are used to identify missing lot data, overlapping lots, and barangay boundaries with much or reasonable accuracy.

2021 CLUP Map of Guagua

At present, 98 percent of all lot data, subdivision lot plans, and mother titles have already been encoded. With almost completed spatial data, the identification of barangay boundaries is being undertaken, based on existing cadastral lot boundaries, mapping boundaries, and Transfer Certificates of Titles. Since these three show different barangay boundaries, the concerned barangay councils are encouraged to negotiate amiably on the issue of barangay boundaries.

References

Bautista, C.B. (1999, October 06). The Mount Pinatubo Disaster and the People of Central Luzon. USGS Publications Warehouse. https://pubs.usgs.gov/pinatubo/cbautist/

Chavez, C. (2020, December 15). DILG Commends 15 LGUs for their digital governance solutions. ManilaBulletin. https://mb.com.ph/2020/12/15/dilg-commends-15-lgus-for-their-digital-governance-solutions/

Municipality of Guagua. (2010). Guagua Geographic Information System (GGIS) 2010. https://fdocuments.in/reader/full/guagua-clup

Vincenzo Bolletino et al., (2018). Perceptions of Disaster Resilience and Preparedness in the Philippines. Harvard Humanitarian Initiative. https://hhi.harvard.edu/publications/perceptions-disaster-resilience-and-preparedntess-p

Title of Productivity and Innovation Initiative

Electronic Moncada App

Implementing Agency

Municipal Government of Moncada, Tarlac

Year Implemented

2021-present

Themes

Digitization & New Technologies, and Government of the Future

General Description

The Electronic Moncada (eMoncada) App is an all-in-one mobile application launched by the Municipal Government of Moncada, Tarlac, to lessen the necessity of face-to-face government transactions and control the spread of COVID-19 among the residents. It aims to centralize municipal services such as citizen registration and identification (Family Register), remote queueing, complaint filing (“Isumbong mo kay Mayor”), and the application, processing, and release of business permits. The app also contains other features such as QR codes for contact tracing, a business directory, and a log for the vaccination status and preferences of the residents.

Background and Problems

The eMoncada mobile application was initially conceptualized to primarily speed up data collection and facilitate the sorting of the general census for the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) distribution among residents. According to the 2020 Census (PhilAtlas, n.d.), the municipality’s total population is approximately 62,819, which makes records tracking and the SAP rollout relatively difficult if done manually. In addition, having one-stop-shop applications like this is one measure to curb the health risks involved in going to the municipal hall and enduring long lines for essential government transactions. Through the assistance of ezGov, a software and system integration company specializing in application and system development for various local governments in the country, the features were eventually expanded to cater to other municipal transactions.

Moncada LGU Kiosk

Solution and Impact

The eMoncada App is a proactive solution of the Moncada LGU to control the spread of the COVID-19 virus in the municipality. Through the application, municipal transactions and services became more efficient. One of its most important features is the Family Register, which served as the LGU’s means to systematically gather general census information for the SAP distribution in the municipality. This enabled them to prioritize infected residents, those who belong to lower-income households, and senior citizens. Another feature available on the app is vaccine information, where residents who have not yet been vaccinated may access a survey regarding their preferred COVID-19 brand and indicate their existing health conditions. It also allows users to apply for vaccination and generate their vaccine records that may serve as their proof of vaccination.

Electronic Moncada App Home Screen

The app also consists of a contact tracing feature that enables its end-users to register their basic information in the LGU’s database for easy tracking in case of potential exposure to confirmed COVID-19 cases. With the mayor’s issuance of Executive Order No. 08 Series of 2021, commercial establishments in the municipality were issued with QR codes and urged to use the eMoncada App for electronic business transactions and contact tracing efforts.

The application also has an emergency assistance button that enables residents to report accidents and other emergencies and send photos. It also allows for the tracking of the sender’s location through GPS. Once the report is submitted, a designated team member will contact the sender, verify the report, and respond immediately.

Another feature is the BPLO Online Application integrated into the current eBPLO system onsite, allowing residents to remotely apply for a new business. The LGU targets to expand it in the future to also have payment integration with Paymaya.

Finally, the app also offers remote queueing, allowing residents to set appointments online. This enables the LGU to control the number of daily transactions and maintain the efficiency of its processes.

Emergency Assistance Feature

To address their constituents’ apprehensions about embracing government efforts to digitalize, the Moncada Municipal Information Office has continuously conducted media campaigns and information drives on the features and advantages of the app through social media. The LGU also set up a kiosk in the municipal hall lobby to assist residents in registering to the app and encoding the details of their transactions with the assistance of LGU personnel.

Milestones

The eMoncada App won second place in the municipal-level Best in Government COVID-19 Pandemic Response Award (G2P) during the Digital Governance Awards (DGA) 2021 last 29 October 2021. Formerly known as Digital Cities PH Awards, DGA is spearheaded by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), and the National ICT Confederation of the Philippines (NICP).

Sources

Newsbytes.PH. (2021, November 3). 40 LGU systems win Digital Governance Awards. Newsbytes.PH. Retrieved from https://newsbytes.ph/2021/11/03/40-lgu-systems-win-digital-governance-awards/?fbclid=IwAR3ymAnxJpPUksclFHX4ezbY9kzY5gHLiTuhbPNppYDgPLHDnb0UWZlo0RI

Moncada Information Office. (2021, November 11). Nandito na ang E-Maligayang Pasko sa Moncada. Retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/MoncadaPIO/posts/4512628135493549

Moncada Information Office. (2021, February 24). Executive order urging commercial establishments and offices to use the e-Moncada Mobile Application for electronic business transactions and contact tracing efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the municipality. Retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/MoncadaPIO/photos/a.1938336526256069/3746299202126450/
PhilAtlas. (n.d.). Moncada, province of Tarlac. Retrieved from https://www.philatlas.com/luzon/r03/tarlac/moncada.html