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.
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.
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.
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