The Philippines’ Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (DOST-PCIEERD) awarded six municipal e-governance systems to the municipalities of Nabua and Bula.
According to a recent press release, the Department did this to enable local government units (LGUs) to deliver more efficient and accessible services to their respective communities.
This initiative will hopefully serve as a model for smart governance for local government offices.
The e-governance systems
The Department turned over six interrelated systems, developed by the Camarines Sur Polytechnic Colleges, which shall work as a cluster of interdependent modules. These systems are:
- The Legislative Management and Tracking System
This is an application that tracks the status, manages, and stores all communications; requests; proposed resolutions and ordinances; Sanggguniang Bayan resolutions; and ordinances.
- The e-Building Permit System
This is a 24/7 service that systemises the building permit process.
It allows citizens to easily track the progress of permit requests; schedule inspections; attach electronic plans and requirements; receive corrections; leave messages; and self-print certifications.
- The Real Property Assessment and Tax Management System
This application automates real property transactions and provides onscreen public viewings of delinquent real properties for auction.
It allows the online printing of Declaration of Real Property Value (DRPV).
- The e-Business Permit and Licensing System
It allows for the computerisation of the permit application process; assessment of taxes and fees; billing, and liquidation of collections.
- The Point of Payment System (PoPS)
Financial accounting uses this system, which acts as the central unit that accepts and manages payment transactions from fees, taxes, and charges being collected by LGUs.
- The Local ID System
This system aims to enhance the portfolio of citizen-centric services.
Simpler procedures for government transactions
Innovations in government services tend to be more LGU-centric to promote transparency, accountability, and effectiveness in their services with the passage of the Ease of Doing Business Act (RA 11032).
This law seeks to provide simpler requirements and easier procedures for government transactions.
DOST-PCIEERD Executive Director Dr Enrico C. Paringit expressed optimism on the prospects of having the system replicated to other LGUs in the country.
Hopefully, other LGUs will view the innovations incorporated by the Nabua municipal office as a model in improving their own services and processes.
Transforming local government units to smart cities
The Department initiated this transformation of local government services into a one-stop web portal solution in consonance with the Smart City program of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).
This e-governance initiative provides automated management, administration, and analytic systems for LGUs to encourage citizen participation.
Moreover, it will bring in added opportunities through open source technologies.
Policy makers are urged to provide funding for the LGUs in order to cover human resource and equipment.
They should also integrate an e-governance funding scheme into the annual budget plan of municipalities.
Sustaining the innovations that were started entails bankrolling these initiatives, which will guarantee that they are optimised to their full potential.
LGU-based solutions are important in developing smart cities as it provides a better foundation and innovation on government services and transactions that they offer to their constituents.