Category: Innovation Leadership

Implementing Agency:

Municipal Government of Bayambang, Pangasinan

Year Implemented:

2017-present

Themes:

Management for Productivity, Quality and Agility, and Digitization & New Technologies

General Description

The Municipality of Bayambang utilizes electronic tagging technology for traffic management.  Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) stickers are installed on registered tricycles to ensure that only registered tricycles can operate according to specific designated routes within the municipality.

Background and Problem

Four major thoroughfares converge in the town center of Bayambang. Provincial buses, FX utility vehicles, jeeps, private cars, and tricycles all pass through the town center from these four access points. While this volume of vehicles is beneficial for the establishments in the area, it can also cause traffic congestion.

Among these vehicles, the tricycle is the most numerous. There are approximately 2,000 to 2,300 registered units in Bayambang, and an indeterminate number of “colorum” units. It is often difficult for traffic enforcers to distinguish between registered and colorum vehicles, and inspections would only contribute to aggravating traffic by causing obstructions.

Solution and Impact

To address traffic congestion, the municipality focused on the regulation of tricycle operations. This involves the installation of RFID stickers on the windshield of registered tricycles, allowing these vehicles to be validated using an RFID reader, either through a handheld unit operated by traffic enforcement personnel or through fixed units installed in strategic locations within the municipality. This e-tagging system combines with the 130 closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras in the area to enable municipal officials to monitor not just the operation of authorized and “colorum” tricycles but also the routes being plied. This ensures that tricycle units do not all congregate in busier areas and that all routes are properly serviced.

The municipal government engaged Tricycle Operators and Drivers Associations (TODAs) to discuss the initiative and consult directly with tricycle drivers on the implementation of the initiative. Because the goal is regulation and not disenfranchisement, unregistered tricycle operators were given time and assistance to complete their compliance requirements.

RFID Sticker Installation (Source: Municipality of Bayambang)

RFID Reader being used on an RFID tag (Source: Municipality of Bayambang)

Milestones

Municipal officials estimate that traffic has been reduced significantly by the initiative, as “colorum” tricycles can no longer operate. This also translates to increased income for legitimate tricycle drivers given the reduction of competition.

Bayambang was awarded Best in eGov Systems for Global Competitiveness Award (Municipality Level) at the 2018 digitalcitiesPH Awards which recognizes LGUs for developing world-class ICT systems that are at par with international standards (DICT, 2018).

Sources

Atlas RFID Store. (2021). What is RFID? | The beginner’s guide to RFID systems. Retrieved from https://www.atlasrfidstore.com/rfid-beginners- guide/#:~:text=RFID%20tags%20transmit%20data%20about,to%20the%20antenna%2Freader%20combination.&text=The%20energy%20activates%20the%20chip,back%20toward%20the%20antenna%2Freader.

DICT. (2018). Best eGovernance systems shine at digitalcitiesPH Awards. Retrieved from  https://dict.gov.ph/best-egovernance-systems-shine-at-digitalcitiesph-awards/

Municipality of Bayambang. (2017). Implementation of Bayambang RFID access and e-Tagging report [PDF File]. Retrieved from https://www.bayambang.gov.ph/wp- content/uploads/2017/09/Executive-Order-15-2017-1.pdf

Implementing Agency:

Department of Health

Year Implemented:

23 April 2020-present

Themes:

Digitization & New Technologies, and Perspectives on Productivity, Governance, and Development

General Description

KIRA (Knowledge Informs Responsible Action / Katuwang na Impormasyon para sa Responsableng Aksyon) Kontra COVID is an automated chatbot launched by the Department of Health (DOH) to help disseminate critical information regarding COVID-19 to the public and facilitate self-checking for the disease via Facebook messenger, Viber, and the Kontra COVID PH webapp. TANOD COVID performs a similar function through SMS, providing even easier and wider accessibility for potential users.

Background and Problem

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit the Philippines in the first quarter of 2020, the national government had to face a healthcare crisis that was made worse by misinformation and confusion regarding the quarantine protocols being implemented, the options available to citizens for testing and treatment, and even the disease itself—particularly its symptoms and risk factors.

Solution and Impact

After extensive consultations and development, the DOH, through its Health Promotion Bureau and Knowledge Management and Information Technology Service, KIRA KontraCOVID on 30 April 2020. KIRA is an automated chatbot that allows citizens to access important information on COVID-19 via an interactive interface that emphasizes user-friendliness and understandability.

Screenshot of KIRA on different platforms (website, Viber, Messenger) (Source: Department of Health)

Apart from simple information dissemination, KIRA also provides a digital triage function where citizens can report their symptoms and receive advice on what actions need to be taken next. KIRA is able to process this information by asking self-assessment questions that would identify one’s health condition, mild or severe symptoms, date of onset of symptoms, existing vulnerabilities, and level of exposure to COVID. This then allows the program to categorize and tag users as either low risk, a probable case, a suspected mild case, or a suspected moderate to severe case. This assessment, however, is not designed or intended to take the place of a medical consultation or an actual COVID test.

Screenshot of KIRA Triage Results (Source: Department of Health)

Although KIRA is intended to maximize the reach and accessibility of COVID-19 information by its availability on popular online platforms such as Facebook and Viber, it is limited by its dependence on the internet connectivity of its users. As a contingency for this, the DOH also launched TANOD COVID, an SMS-based self-reporting system accessible through the country’s major telecommunications services.

Screenshot of TANOD COVID Reporting via text message (Source: Department of Health)

Reports coming in from KIRA and TANOD COVID are compiled in the Kontra COVID PH database, which can then be accessed by local government units (LGUs), processed, and validated. The compiled cases can be filtered according to the severity of symptoms, the status of verification, and the date received.

PH Kontra COVI D Database Process Flow (Source: Department of Health)

Screenshot of PH Kontra COVID Dashboard for LGUs (Source: Department of Health)

Screenshot of PH Kontra COVID LGU Verification Process (Source: Department of Health)

Milestones

As of December 16, 2021, KIRA has 1.2 million total subscribers on Facebook Messenger and Viber. It has processed over 32 million bot interactions, addressed 132,424 inquiries sent by users, and facilitated 163,913 self-assessments.

KIRA has since been enhanced to deliver updates on registration for vaccines, vaccination cards/certificates, and access to vaccines across different LGUs. It also has emphasized fighting misinformation regarding vaccine indications and contraindications, their safety for breastfeeding mothers, and other critical information that needs to be corrected or clarified to the public. 

Source
Department of Health. (2020, April 23). Kontra Covid Bot. https://doh.gov.ph/covid-19/chatbot

Implementing Agency:

City Government of Iloilo

Year Implemented:

March 2020-present

Themes:

Management for Productivity, Quality, and Agility, and Perspectives on Productivity, Governance, and Development

General Description

The City Government of Iloilo initiated localized mass testing towards the end of March 2020 after the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) accredited the Western Visayas Medical Center in Mandurriao District to conduct COVID-19 testing.

Background and Problem

A critical step towards mitigating the spread of COVID-19 is using disease surveillance to monitor its effects on a population (Pan American Health Organization, 2020) (Nature, 2020) (Health Management, 2020). An important aspect of disease surveillance is mass testing, which can only be done by fully equipped and capacitated laboratories. This, however, was lacking in the Philippines during the early stages of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Solution and Impact

The City Government of Iloilo, led by Mayor Jerry Treñas, were early advocates for mass testing as a means of managing the pandemic (ANC, 2020). Only weeks after large sections of the country were put into lockdown, the City Government sought accreditation for the Western Visayas Medical Center Laboratory to be able to conduct reliable and efficient testing for the virus. Early identification of positive cases helps in the containment of the virus, especially for asymptomatic cases that may unknowingly be contagious, and is one of the best proactive measures that the government can take while vaccines are still being developed..

To supply the Laboratory with the necessary equipment, the Iloilo City Government partnered with business groups, the Department of Health (DOH), and the University of the Philippines – Visayas to obtain reverse transcription – polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test kits (ANC, 2020) (Rappler, 2020), personal protective equipment (PPE) suits, a PCR machine (UP Visayas, 2020), an RNA extraction machine, viral nucleic acid kits, and an IMI ventilator set (Daily Guardian, 2020).

Efforts were also made to further expand the city’s testing capacity. The Alternating Learning System (ALS) building in Barangay San Pedro, Molo was converted into a temporary molecular laboratory in September 2020, while the Uswag Molecular Laboratory was established 14 November 2020. The latter also handles the testing of specimens from Iloilo Province.

Milestones

In recognition of its initiatives, the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) cites Iloilo City for its mass testing efforts. LCP mentions that several policymakers and leaders from the public and private sectors in the country recognize that mass testing is key to reopening the economy while a vaccine is being formulated (Philippine Information Agency, 2020).

They also presented their experiences in mobilizing early localized mass testing during webinars with LCP and CITYNET, a regional network of local authorities for the management of human settlement in the Asia-Pacific region (CITYNET, 2021).

Photos

Uswag Molecular Laboratory Building and Facilities 

(Source: Mayor Jerry Treñas Facebook Page)

Sources

ANC. (2020, April 3). How this mayor turned Iloilo into a model city with its ‘all action’ approach 

to fight COVID-19. https://news.abs-cbn.com/ancx/culture/spotlight/04/03/20/in-

iloilo-city-frontliners-are-first-priority

CITYNET. (2021, February 22). Nepal NC hosts an international webinar on DRRM and lessons 

from COVID-19. https://citynet-ap.org/nepal-nc-hosts-an-international-webinar-

on-drrm-and-lessons-from-covid-19/

Daily Guardian. (2020, October 7). New lab to boost COVID testing in Iloilo City. 

New lab to boost COVID testing in Iloilo City

Health Management Org. (2020, March 27). Where Are the Most Effective Anti-COVID-19 

Strategies?. https://healthmanagement.org/c/hospital/news/where-are-the-most-

effective-anti-covid-19-strategies

Nature. (2020, April 27). Whose coronavirus strategy worked best? Scientists hunt most effective 

policies. https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-01248-1

Pan American Health Organization. (2020, November 11). PAHO outlines best practices to control

COVID-19 pandemic. https://www.paho.org/en/news/11-11-2020-paho-outlines-

best-practices-control-covid-19-pandemic

Philippine Information Agency. (2020, May 13). LCP cites Iloilo City for mass testing efforts. 

https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1041710

PICAO. (2020, November 16). Uswag Molecular Laboratory. Official Website of the Provincial 

Government of Iloilo City. https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1041710

Rappler. (2020, July 1). How Iloilo City became ‘Wakanda’ of the Philippines. 

https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/in-depth/how-iloilo-city-became-wakanda-of-philippines

University of the Philippines Visayas. (2020, March 17). UPV alumni initiates meeting to allow 

COVID-19 testing in Iloilo soon. https://www.upv.edu.ph/index.php/news/upv-

alumni-initiates-meeting-to-allow-covid-19-testing-in-iloilo-soon

Implementing Agency:

City Government of Valenzuela

Year Implemented:

18 August 2020 – present

Themes:

Management for Productivity, Quality, and Agility, and Perspectives on Productivity, Governance, and Development

General Description

On August 18, 2020, the City Government of Valenzuela established a Mega Contact Tracing Center to strengthen its capacity to identify, monitor, and isolate potential COVID-positive cases in their jurisdiction.

Background and Problem

The World Health Organization (WHO) defined contact tracing as the process of identifying, assessing, and managing people who have been exposed to known infected individuals, allowing authorities to manage potential virus transmission through rapid identification, isolation, and clinical care of cases (World Health Organization, 2020). According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, public health departments have used contact tracing for decades to slow or stop the spread of infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis (TB), HIV, and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

In April 2020, the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) issued Resolution 25, assigning the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), in coordination with local government units (LGUs), to lead the contact-tracing efforts of the government to address the rapidly spread of COVID-19. As the main actors on the ground, LGUs serve as the implementers of these efforts.

However, the Philippines was tagged by the WHO in May 2020 for having inefficient and ineffective contact tracing, hampering any possibility of mitigating the spread of COVID-19. As of 30 July 2020, only 1% out of the nearly 600 LGUs in the country have a relatively good system of contact tracing, with LGUs increasing the number of contact tracing staff for the purpose of substantial compliance rather than ensuring the proper establishment of the system (Inquirer, 2020).

Solution and Impact

The Mega Contact Tracing Center, operated by the Valenzuela City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (CESU), is a call center and coordination hub staffed by a team of 100 data encoders and disease surveillance personnel. It implements a contactless approach, extracting and collecting the necessary information—local travel history, number of household members, etc.—from target individuals via phone calls and emails.

The Center also has a separate team for field work composed of swab testers, registered nurses, and doctors, who work closely with Barangay Health Emergency Response Teams (BHERTs) to assess and monitor identified COVID-positive cases and, when necessary, extract and endorse them for hospitalization.

Milestones

The Valenzuela City Health Office (CHO) has trained the Mega Contact Tracing Center staff in proper disease surveillance, handling data privacy, and the use of the ValTrace App, a contact tracing platform launched by the Valenzuela LGU that utilizes QR codes and location history to establish potential points of contact and exposure for persons under investigation.

Photos

images

Launch of the Valenzuela City Mega Contact Tracing Center on 18 August 2020 (Source: City Government of Valenzuela)

images

Valenzuela City Mega Contact Tracing Center (Source: City Government of Valenzuela)

Sources

Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2019). Training and Workforce Development for

COVID-19 Case Investigation and Contact Tracing. 

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/php/contact-tracing-CDC-role-and-

approach.pdf

CMFR. (2020, December 24). Another LGU best practice: Inquirer reports Valenzuela’s contact 

tracing. Manilanews.net. https://www.manilanews.net/news/267339860/another-lgu-best-

practice-inquirer-reports-valenzuelas-contact-tracing

Gonzales, C. (2020, July 30). Less than 1% of 600 LGUs have ‘relatively good’ contact tracing 

system — Magalong. Inquirer.net. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1314330/less-than-1-of-600-lgus-

have-relatively-good-contact-tracing-system-magalong

Madarang, C.R.S. (2020, August 12). The DOH has no contact tracing team. Here’s why. 

Interaksyon. https://interaksyon.philstar.com/politics-issues/2020/08/12/174849/the-doh-has-no-

contact-tracing-team-heres-why/

Porciuncula, A.R. (2020, October 20). DILG Reinforces Valenzuela City’s COVID-19 Response 

with Additional Contact Tracers. Official Website of the City Government of Valenzuela. 

https://www.valenzuela.gov.ph/article/news/13611

Porciuncula, A.R. (2020, October 6). Valenzuela City Opens 24/7 Mega Contact Tracing Center. 

Official Website of the City Government of Valenzuela. 

https://www.valenzuela.gov.ph/article/news/13522

World Health Organization. (2020, July 28). Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): Contact tracing. 

https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/coronavirus-disease-covid-19-contact-tracing

Implementing Agency:

City Government of Pasig

Year Implemented:

9 October 2020-present

Themes:

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

General Description

The City Government of Pasig implemented an integrated approach to the contact tracing of COVID-positive cases, utilizing QR codes and GPS-based technology, through the Pasig City Health Monitoring System and Pasig Pass.

Background and Problem

Contact tracing is a necessary public health strategy to identify and suppress the potential spread of any infectious disease (Mayo Clinic, 2020). It is, however, labor- and time-intensive, and thus it is a struggle for public officials tasked with contact tracing to keep up with the rate of infection of a highly contagious disease such as COVID-19, especially given any possible issues with the integrity of the available data and the sheer volume of information and potential points of contact that need to be addressed.

Solution and Impact

To improve its contact tracing capacity, the Pasig City Government decided to integrate Pasig City Health Monitor, which is its COVID-19 case management system, with Pasig Pass, which provides proximity tracing and exposure notifications.

The Pasig City Health Monitor works by streamlining the collection and management of data into a single database that tracks confirmed COVID-19 cases, probable and suspected cases, as well as any possible close contacts. This database processes and stores patient information, demographics, mobility patterns, and hot spots with high rates of positivity. Pasig Pass requires that all establishments collect from their patrons a unique QR code generated via registration. This simplifies the process of identifying where individuals are at any given time, and who might be in the same location within the same timeframe.

The two systems can thus work together by compiling through the Health Monitor the locations an individual has visited as tracked through the Pasig Pass, identifying in the process anyone who could have been potentially exposed.

Milestones 

While there have been challenges in integrating the city’s efforts with the national contact tracing system implemented by the Department of Health, the Pasig City Health Monitor has managed to record over 9,000 cumulative confirmed cases. 

In recognition of the City Government’s initiative, Plaques of Appreciation were awarded to both Mayor Vico Sotto and the City of Pasig during the COVID-19 Response Service Awards. (Manila Bulletin, 2020)

Photos

Pasig City Health Monitor System (Source: Pasig City Assistant City Health Officer Stuart Santos’ Presentation on the Pasig City Health Monitoring and Tracking System)

Pasig Pass Dashboard (left) and QR Code (right) 

(Source: Pasig City Assistant City Health Officer Stuart Santos’ Presentation on the Pasig City Health Monitoring and Tracking System)

Sources

Manila Bulletin. (2020, October 23). Pasig City receives recognition for COVID-19 response. 

Pasig City receives recognition for COVID-19 response

Mayo Clinic. (2020, April 24). What is contact tracing, and why is it important in fight against 

COVID-19?. https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/what-is-contact-tracing-and-why-is-

it-important-in-fight-against-covid-19/

Implementing Agency:

City Government of Pasig

Year Implemented:

7 April 2020-present

Themes:

Management for Productivity, Quality, and Agility, and Perspectives on Productivity, Governance, and Development

General Description

The Pasig City Government converted the Pasig City Children’s Hospital (PCCH) into a COVID-19 Referral Facility to accommodate patients in anticipation of a potential surge in cases. 

Background and Problems

In the early weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Pasig City General Hospital (PCGH) had a daily average of about 15 to 20 emergency patients who cannot be admitted because the hospital wards are already full. Among these are an average of 4 or 5 patients with pneumonia, which means they are most likely COVID-19 positive and in dire need of immediate admission. As a stop-gap measure, the hospital pitched 6-bed capacity isolation tents outside their main facilities, but worsening pandemic conditions showed these to be insufficient for addressing the needs of the infected citizens.

Temporary isolation tents outside PCGH (Source: Pasig City Government)

Solution and Impact

To improve the city’s capacity to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on the population and on the healthcare system, the PCCH was converted into the Pasig City COVID-19 Referral Center, a facility dedicated to receiving and accommodating potential cases. The hospital’s bed capacity was increased from 65 to 150 and its spaces were assessed and organized into zones with specific designations and functions—the clean zone, the potentially contaminated zone or gray area, and the contaminated zone—to limit the opportunities for spreading the virus within the facility.

Since the PCCH was a Children’s Hospital, most of the equipment in the hospital are designed exclusively for treating children. This necessitated the procurement of new equipment such as portable ultrasounds, defibrillators, mechanical ventilators, transport ventilators, and medicines specific for treating patients with COVID-19, as well as HEPA filters and negative pressure exhaust systems for rooms in the contaminated zone, protecting people outside these rooms from infectious airborne particles (News Medical, 2021). 

During the first month of its operations, doctors and nurses from the PCGH also rendered duty hours in the Referral Center, as the process of hiring emergency healthcare workers struggled to catch up with demand.

Milestones

In its first year, the Referral Facility has admitted over 1,100 patients. The City Government has also since transformed the Rizal High School into a centralized quarantine facility for mild and asymptomatic patients to expand the city’s patient isolation facilities.  

In recognition of the City Government’s initiative, both Mayor Vico Sotto and the City of Pasig were both awarded with Plaques of Appreciation during the COVID-19 Response Service Awards (Manila Bulletin, 2020).

Photos

Pasig City Children’s Hospital (Source: CNN Philippines)

  Pasig COVID-19 Referral Facility (Source: Pasig Local Government)

Sources

News Medical. (2021, February 18). What are Negative Pressure Rooms? 

https://www.news-medical.net/health/What-are-Negative-Pressure-Rooms.aspx

Manila Bulletin. (2020, October 23). Pasig City receives recognition for COVID-19 response. 

Pasig City receives recognition for COVID-19 response

Implementing Agencies:

Department of Health and National Privacy Commission

Year Implemented:

7 April 2020 – present

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

General Description

The Department of Health (DOH) and National Privacy Commission (NPC) have developed a framework for telemedicine services in a bid to improve access to health services during the imposition of quarantine protocols in various areas in the country.

Background and Problem

In March 2020, a State of Public Health Emergency was declared in the Philippines due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Part of the measures to be implemented in response to this emergency was the imposition of Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) or General Community Quarantine (GCQ) measures in selected areas of the country. Under ECQ protocols, non-essential establishments were shut down and communities were placed under lockdown. Public transportation systems were halted and checkpoints were set up to flag private vehicles and check their credentials. Mobility was restricted to essential workers and quarantine passes were issued to each household’s designated errand-runner. These were all done to mitigate the transmission of the virus and lessen the load on the already overburdened healthcare system, but doing so also severely limited citizens’ access to regular checkups and consultations with their primary care providers.

Solution and Impact

On 7 April 7 2020, DOH and NPC issued a set of guidelines for the use and practice of telemedicine as part of the national government’s COVID-19 response strategy. These guidelines aimed to ensure the efficient and effective use of telemedicine while also minimizing the potential risk of exposure for both patients and healthcare providers (DOH-NPC, 2020).

The implementation of telemedicine in the Philippines integrates several models, combining a centralized hotline or call center service with a health facility-based approach or engaging existing telemedicine service providers, such as Medgate Philippines and Globe Telehealth / KonsultaMD, as potential partners.

DOH operates COVID-19 hotlines, accessible through the phone numbers 1555 and (02) 894-COVID. These hotlines facilitate a patient’s initial triaging, consultation referral, and/or emergency dispatch if needed. Consultations are done by patching together patients, agents, and resident doctors in a conference call. This can then be supplemented by involving a community-based general physician (based in local health centers) who can see the patient physically and facilitate follow-up consultations or quarantine monitoring. This may also be applied in hospitals and temporary facilities where the patient-to-doctor ratio is significantly high, allowing doctors to conduct telemedicine within the same building for any follow-up consultations.

Milestones

In the first six months of implementation, the DOH COVID-19 hotlines have received over 70,000 calls from patients. However, this high volume, combined with the limited availability of call center staff, has led to patients being on hold for over sixty minutes at a time during peak hours. Calls received during off-hours, meanwhile, are advised to keep their phones available and to expect a call at the soonest availability of a doctor who can handle the consultation.

DOH is also looking into integrating telemedicine services into COVID-KAYA, the national surveillance and contact-tracing system, by allowing consultations to be logged as Case Investigation Forms.

Diagram of Telemedicine and Other COVID-Related Government Processes (Source: Department of Health)

Source 

Department of Health – National Privacy Commission. (2020, March 28). NPC Circulars. 

https://www.privacy.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/DOH-mc2020-0016.pdf

Implementing Agency

Jakarta Provincial Government and Jakarta Smart City Management

Year Implemented

November 2019 – present

Themes

Digitization & New Technologies; Perspectives on Productivity, Governance, and Development

General Description

Developed by the Jakarta Smart City Management, the Jakarta Kini (JAKI) App is a one-stop solution mobile application for a variety of local government services.

Background and Problems

The integration of government services in a megacity whose metropolitan area covers 6,392 square kilometers presents complex problems. The sheer amount of data involved in providing such services required infrastructure that was unsustainable during the early 2000s. With the arrival of technological advances in mobile computing, the consolidation of all necessary information while including functionality for citizens became both achievable and sustainable in the long term. 

The Jakarta local government tested the waters of citizen engagement through mobile applications with Qlue in 2016 and the Citizen Relationship Management (CRM) App in 2017. However, both almost exclusively dealt with non-emergency complaints and concerns and did not utilize information functionalities. 

Solution and Impact

The Jakarta Smart City Management introduced the Jakarta Kini (JAKI) App to its citizens in November 2019. The platform features broad multifunctionality, providing 14 distinct functions as of October 2021:

  1. JakWarta: an official news source directly from the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government
  2. JakLapor: a rapid community response (CRM) platform with geo-tagging features where residents can report crimes
  3. JakRespons: a tool where residents can monitor the status of their complaints and also assess the response to said complaints
  4. JakISPU: a tool that presents location-specific Air Pollution Standard Index (ISPU) 
  5. JakSurvei: a platform where residents can rate public services and participate in other related surveys such as those about policies, facilities, and other official matters
  6. JakSiaga: a directory of emergency hotlines that is updated automatically
  7. JakApps: a collection of all the online services by the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government
  8. JakPantau: a tool for monitoring the weather, river flow, and floodgate information
  9. JakPangan: a tool for calculating food prices where the prices are constantly updated
  10. JakSafe JAKI: a tool for reporting when one is in a dangerous situation like an accident, medical emergency, criminal event, and alike
  11. JakSekolah: a collection of learning materials and classes for education levels kindergarten through high school which the general public may access.
  12. Jako: a one-stop access to the five different applications which have collaborated with the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government, namely Bukalapak, Gojek, Grab, Shopee, and Tokopedia
  13. JakServ: a day-to-day virtual aide that primarily contains the departure and arrival schedules of buses at the Pulo Gebang Integrated Terminal
  14. JakPenda: a tool for checking and calculating citizens’ taxes
  15. Jejak: a tool that monitors visitors’ movement in and out of specific buildings via the scanning of QR codes
  16. Chatbot: a Java virtual assistant that can provide information about population, emergencies and disasters, health and COVID-19, social aid, vaccination, reporting channels, and other  government services.
  17. JakWifi: a tool for finding free public Wi-Fi in Jakarta
  18. Tes-Mandiri: a platform that can access the Corona Likelihood Metric (CLM) self-assessment tool that evaluates a citizen’s possible risk of contracting COVID-19
  19. Zonasi: a tool to detect the risk level of COVID-19 surrounding the citizen.

JAKI integrates various public services in the Jakarta municipality and provides enhanced functionality and citizen engagement which ties directly and efficiently to the relevant platforms. The COVID-19 pandemic has also pushed the JAKI team to add crucial functionalities such as contact tracing and free distance learning. This speaks to a potential for flexibility on how local governance can be consolidated with pandemic response.

Milestones

As of October 2021, the app has a rating of 3.8 stars in the Google Play store, based on over 8400 ratings. Also, it was awarded with “Best in Future Digital Innovation” by the International Data Corporation (IDC) of Indonesia on October 8, 2021. And as of October 25, 2021, the Jakarta app is now not only useful to the citizens of the province, but also tourists. According to a news article, it is now being mandated for tourists to download the application following the limited reopening of the province.


The following additional features are also in the pipeline for inclusion in the app:

  1. JakiID: a digital ID that will provide personalized service features to each citizen
  2. JakPay: a platform that will support the transparent and fair distribution of social assistance to citizens in need
  3. JakEvo Integration: a feature that will manage government permits in one integrated platform
  4. e-Resident Document: a tool that will provide an electronic resident document
  5. Online Hospital Queuing System: a platform where a citizen will be provided a queue number for a hospital appointment.

Photos

Photo: The JAKI App as found on the Google Apps Store, touting a 4 and a half star rating based on over 8400 ratings (Source: Google Play Store) as of October 25, 2021

Photo: The JAKI App is discussed in a forum in South Jakarta (Source: CoHive)

Sources

DKI Jakarta Provincial Government. (n.d.). JAKI App. JAKI App Website. https://jaki.jakarta.go.id/en/

Evandio, A. (2021, October 8). IDC future enterprise award, Berikut Perusahaan Pemenang: Teknologi. Bisnis.com. Retrieved October 25, 2021, from https://teknologi-bisnis-com.translate.goog/read/20211008/266/1452021/idc-future-enterprise-award-berikut-perusahaan-pemenang?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=fil&_x_tr_pto=nui. 

Ranggasari, R. (2021, October 25). Jakarta starts reopening tourist attractions. Tempo. Retrieved October 25, 2021, from https://en.tempo.co/read/1520888/jakarta-starts-reopening-tourist-attractions.

Tempo Interactive. (2020, January 17). Indonesia: Jakarta smart city to launch apps on flood warning. PreventionWeb. https://www.preventionweb.net/news/view/70069

Tempo.co. (2021, October 8). Menang di IDC awards 2021, Ini 13 FITUR Unggulan Aplikasi jaki warga Jakarta. Tempo. Retrieved October 8, 2021, from https://metro.tempo.co/read/1515100/menang-di-idc-awards-2021-ini-13-fitur-unggulan-aplikasi-jaki-warga-jakarta/full&view=ok. Tobing, A. G. L. (n.d.). JSC to Launch Jakarta Kini App for SKPD Programs. Beritajakarta.Id. https://m.beritajakarta.id/en/read/31788/JSC-to-Launch-Jakarta-Kini-App-for-SKPD-Programs

Implementing Agency:

City Government of Makati

Year Implemented:

June 1, 2017 – present

Themes:

Digitization & New Technologies; Perspectives on Productivity, Governance, and Development

General Description

The Makatizen App integrates local government functions and collaborative citizen interaction into a single mobile application to deliver services on a centralized, efficient platform.

Background and Problems

The City Government of Makati has implemented several initiatives over the years to simplify the delivery of local government services to its constituencies, such as the Makati Health Plus Program, which provides enhanced access to health services in city-run medical facilities, and the Blu Card Program, which caters to the over 85,000 senior citizens living in the city. Given the number of programs that the LGU operates besides other civic services such as business registrations and tax payments, the city government faced the problem of overstretching itself to coordinate such programs at a consistent level of efficiency and effectiveness.

Solution and Impact

The Makati City Government partnered with Converge ICT Solutions and Voyager Innovations under a public-private-partnership (PPP) program to develop the Makatizen App, which Mayor Abigail Binay hailed as a step in the city’s digital transformation towards being recognized globally as a smart city. On June 1, 2017, the app was launched in conjunction with the Makatizen Card, a physical ID card for Makati citizens which integrated with the app in various ways.

The application’s target users consisted of five different groups, with functionality and features of the app varying depending on the group type. These consisted of residents, employees working in the area, entrepreneurs and investors in the city, students in schools operating in Makati, and city visitors.

Initially available to phones operating on the Android operating system and made available on iOS in March 2019, the app sought to streamline citizen engagement with LGU programs through a centralized platform that is accessible free of any data charges, thanks to the initiative’s private sector implementing partners. The Makatizen App carries the following features:

  1. Maka-Update: Gives the latest information, advisories, and announcements about the programs, projects, services, events, and policies of the city government.
  2. Maka-Negosyo: Provides important information on investing and operating a business in the city.
  3. How We Can Help: Allows users to report traffic accidents, waste management issues, construction issues, stray animals, and other community concerns.
  4. Maka-SOS: Allows users to contact hotlines in case of emergencies that require an immediate response, such as fires or crime. 

In 2020, the city government expanded the app with the following features responding to the COVID-19 pandemic as part of the continuous innovation during the new normal:

  1. Maka-Tulong: Gives users access to COVID-19 initiatives of the city such as online registration for free pneumococcal vaccines, cash assistance, and cash incentives for public elementary and senior high school graduates.
  2. Maka-Tindahan: Directs users to its official online marketplace.
  3. Reopen Business and Online Registration: Allows users to register and reopen their business in the city while also accessing the city’s employment programs.

According to Makati City City Spokesman Atty. Michael Camiña, the use of the Makatizen App increased greatly during the pandemic, due to the inclusion of financial aid services accessible through the app and the accompanying Makatizen Card. According to data from the local government unit, up to 360,000 people, in a city with a population of about 582,600, have received their financial aid without needing face-to-face verification or contact. Furthermore, the addition of a dedicated COVID-19 section for the SOS function is being utilized by the constituents, reducing the burden on healthcare workers, and enabling quicker response time for possible health risks.

Milestones

As of November 24, 2020, the app has 205,450 users on Android and 22,014 on iOS. Since its launch, the city’s central command center has reported a significant increase in incident reports, going from an average of 150 incidents a day to up to 400.

Highlighting its recognition, the initiative achieved the top 6th spot in the Innovative Idea category of the World Smart Cities Awards, Smart City Expo World Congress, Fira Barcelona Gran Via, held on November 19-21, 2020.

Photos

Launch of the Makatizen App during the 347th founding anniversary of Makati on June 1, 2017.

(Source: PLDT press release)

A screenshot of the Makatizen App Interface (Source: Makati City Government)

Sources

City Government of Makati. (2020, November 26). Presentation of Mayor Abby Binay on the MAKATIZEN App [Powerpoint Slides]. Training of Trainers on Government Digital Services for Public Sector Productivity, Zoom. 

Inquirer.net. (2019, March 4). 4,000 Makatizens get lifetime Yellow Card membership under Mayor Abby. Inquirer.net. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1091766/4000-makatizens-get-lifetime-yellow-card-membership-under-mayor-abby

Sta. Ana, J. (2020, May 14). How can Makatizens apply for the PHP 5K financial assistance. YugaTech. https://www.yugatech.com/guides/how-can-makatizens-apply-for-the-php-5k-financial-assistance/#sthash.73LluYDx.ALyy0baJ.dpbs

Subingsubing, K. (2020, January 24). Makati allocates some P440M for Blu Card program. Inquirer.net. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1218895/makati-allocates-some-p440m-for-blu-card-program

Title of Productivity and Innovation Initiative:

Enhancing Disaster, Incident, and Traffic Management through Pasig City’s Smart Public Safety Management System Project 

Implementing Agency:

City Government of Pasig

Year Implemented:

2016 – present

Themes:

Management for Productivity; Quality and Agility; Digitization & New Technologies

General Description

The initiative consists of multiple Pasig City public safety initiatives integrated in a manner that reduces costs and improves efficiency in providing data and coordinating a response.

Background and Problems

The advent of Typhoon Ketsana (Philippine name: Ondoy) in 2009 left significant economic and social damage to Pasig City and the rest of Metro Manila. This highlighted the city’s vulnerability to natural disasters, as there are three major waterways surrounding the city and a major fault line running through certain parts of it.

The highly urbanized nature of Pasig also means increased risk for man-made disasters such as fire, drowning incidents, vehicular accidents, and medical emergencies. These public safety vulnerabilities constrain the city’s plans for increased urbanization and infrastructure development.

Solution and Impact

With the goals of improving Pasig City’s public safety efforts in the areas of efficiency and sustainability as well as the reduction in resource consumption for incident monitoring and management, the Pasig City government introduced the Pasig Smart Public Safety Management System, whose major components include:

  1. Computer-Aided Dispatch: Designated as the eC3-CMS, an information system that allows for data analysis and reporting of information in real-time, which is gathered via incident reports by citizens through the Mamamayang Aksyon sa Emergency (MaSE), a free mobile public service application for use in Android and iOS devices.

The interface of the MaSE system (Source: Pasig City DRRMO)

  1. Adaptive Intelligent Traffic System: A system deployed by the city to optimize the use of road networks in the city with the goal of safer, smarter, and more coordinated traffic flow. This is done via data gathering sensors deployed in critical traffic points in the city, allowing for adaptive control of traffic light times and management of rush hour traffic in a coordinated and real-time manner. The system data is accessible through the Pasig Smart City App, which shows real-time traffic situations throughout the city. 
  1. Flood Awareness Simulation Tool: An tool, used in conjunction with the city’s disaster risk reduction and management plans, which can provide information and run possible scenarios in areas prone to flooding. The simulation software makes use of sensors installed in various high-risk locations in the city to collect data on other environmental concerns such as water pollution and PH level, air quality, humidity, wind direction and speed, noise pollution, and UV index levels.

Environment sensors user interface (Source: Pasig City DRRMO)

  1. GSM Emergency Alert System: The public safety system utilizes an emergency network GSM system that allows for the rerouting of emergency calls to predetermined locations when commercial GSM systems are damaged or compromised. In cases of major disasters, a Text Message Alert System (TMAS) is activated, which would send SMS advisories and notifications to individuals regardless of their chosen commercial GSM network.

The existing infrastructure used in conjunction with these systems includes more than 225 surveillance cameras, solar-powered citywide mass alert sirens, a 24-hour phone and text hotline, and multiple operational pumping stations in 22 flood-prone areas in the city.

All systems mentioned in the Smart Public Safety Management System are managed by their City Command Center (C3), built in 2010. Once the C3 staff is able to verify a report, radio dispatchers coordinate and deploy the nearest responders to incidents. All interactions between citizens and the system are recorded.

Milestones

The Pasig City Smart Public Safety Management System Project was named an outstanding smart city project in the 2018 IDC Smart City Asia Pacific Awards for delivering better urban planning and operational efficiency. The project was one of 19 winners out of 148 smart city projects across 12 functional categories.

Photos

A screenshot from the Pasig Smart City App, a mobile application allowing for localized monitoring of traffic within the Pasig area. (Source: Pasig City Government)

Officials discuss in the Pasig City control room. 

(Source: Pasig Command Center Facebook page)

Sources

Jocson, L. C. (2018, July 11). Pasig’s public safety project named one of Asia’s “most outstanding”. Rappler. https://www.rappler.com/moveph/pasig-public-safety-included-most-outstanding-smart-city-projects-2018

Lozada, D. (2014, June 18). Pasig City: Learning from Ondoy, ready for the rain. Rappler. https://www.rappler.com/moveph/pasig-city-disaster-management-ondoy

Tuaño, P. A. P., Muyrong, M. S., & Clarete, R. L. (2016). Economic Impact of Typhoon Ondoy in Pasig and Marikina Cities Using a Multiweek CGE Model Analysis. Philippine Journal of Development, 43(2). https://pidswebs.pids.gov.ph/CDN/PUBLICATIONS/pidspjd2016-2_ondoy.pdf