Reuel Oliver, representative of Naga City Mayor Jesse Robredo, said use of the Internet and mobile technology to improve service delivery to Naga's constituents started as early as 1997 when the city's Web site was first launched.
"In 1997, Naga City was one of the first LGUs in the country to go on the Internet through its own Web site. After the launch, it took three years before we would finally update the site. We realized that we had to use the Web as a tool to empower the people," Oliver said during an ICT forum in Makati City.
Another reason for tapping technology to promote people empowerment came after Robredo realized that not all of his constituents were being given a chance to air their opinions on the city government's programs. This, despite regular forums where nongovernment organizations and other groups were asked to help in the policy-making process of the local government.
Oliver said active civil society participation still had its limitations because "85 percent of [Naga's] population do not belong in any group."
The solution came when Robredo decided to use the Internet and mobile phone technology to spread information about Naga City's programs, receive complaints and even deliver services.
Naga's i-governance initiative has both online and offline features. Online, Naga residents can browse the city's Web site (www.naga.gov.ph) and find information about the city's tourist spots as well as Naga's various awards and governance initiatives. The Web site also promotes community through news features, fora and live Webcasts of important events.
One unique feature of the site is the Serve Naga component, which is a tool for pinpointing accountability in service delivery. After sending comments and complaints online or through the TXTNaga service, residents can then follow-up if the complaint has been acted on by monitoring forum threads on the Web.
Another feature of the Naga Web site is its Share Naga component, which posts ordinances and executive orders, procurement and outcomes as well as budget and finances.
"We are the probably the only local government brave enough to show our proposed budget and what we plan to do with the budget every quarter," Oliver said. He added that posting procurement projects has led to a decrease in procurement costs for the city government.
Offline, residents can turn to the Naga City Citizens Charter, which is a guidebook on the local government's key services. The guidebook offers step-by-step instructions on how to use each service, the standard response time for its delivery, and the city hall officers and staff responsible for its operation.
Naga's ICT initiatives have led it to receive various awards. In 2006, it won the "Most Business Friendly City" award from the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which elevated it to the Hall of Fame after winning the award for three consecutive years. Naga is also a Hall of Famer of the Asian Institute of Management-Ford Foundation Galing Pook (Innovations Program) Award and the Presidential Gawad Pamana ng Lahi Award of the Department of Interior and Local Government.
Oliver said any innovative practice for e-governance should be grounded on sound government objectives. "ICT is a tool but focus should be on governance objectives," he said.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): David Dizon
Quelle/Source: ABS CBN News, 30.04.2008
