Go Manila App is a mobile app launched by the local government of the city of Manila in 2020 for people living in the city. It is supposed to provide seamless connectivity to its users and allow them to pay utility bills, fines, taxes, loans, etc., online. It was built under the administration of Mayor of Manila Francisco Moreno Domagoso. According to the city government, it is their first initiative to make the city of Manila an actual smart city of the 21st century.
What is the Go Manila App?
As mentioned before, the Go Manila App is a kind of citizen portal for the people living in Manila, the capital of the Philippines. The reason behind creating this app was to improve the city and make it more like a smart city. A city that uses advanced technology and seamless connectivity to improve transportation, energy, public security, and health care.
Although the Go Manila App couldn’t complete its purpose of making Manila a smart city, it has plenty of features that can provide convenience to its users. Its features can be grouped into four main categories: E-Government, E-Bills, E-commerce, and E-services.
- E-Government
This group contains various government-related features of the Go Manila App, such as:
- Real Property Tax
Real property tax is the tax you pay on the property under your name; it is 1% to 2% of the actual property value. Go Manila App’s real property tax feature allows you to pay this tax online, saving you time and effort as you do not have to visit a local government office.
- Business Tax
Business Tax is a tax that businesses have to pay to the local government; the specific amount of this tax depends on the type of business. The Business tax feature of the Go Manila App allows you to pay this tax online, which saves you the trouble of going to a local government office.
- Local Civil Registry
The local Civil Registry is a government office responsible for keeping records of important population-related matters such as birth, death, marriages, etc. The local civil registry feature of the Go Manila App allows you to get a copy of your birth certificate online, saving you the time to go to the office physically.
- Occupational Permit / Health Certificates
An occupational permit is a permit you get from the Department of Labor and Employment; it serves as proof that you are eligible for certain professions. As for Health certificates, you usually get them from a health care provider, and it proves that you do not have certain illnesses. It is usually required for travel, employment, and sometimes school enrolment.
The feature of the Go Manila App allows you to apply for an occupational permit or health certificate online. This saves you the trouble of waiting in line at the Department of Labor and Employment or a health care provider.
- Community Tax Certificate
Community tax is a small amount of tax that every resident and business of a local government unit must pay, regardless of their income, including children. This tax is very small, usually around PHP 100, but it can be more for businesses and self-employed professionals such as doctors, engineers, architects, artists, writers, entrepreneurs, etc.
You get a community tax certificate after paying the community tax in the Philippines. This certificate is important because it is usually a requirement for employment, business registration, and traveling outside the country.
This feature of the Go Manila App allows you to pay community tax and apply for the certificate online. This saves you the time of going to a local government treasury office or an over-the-counter payment canter.
- Ordinance Violation Receipts
Ordinance violation receipts are like traffic tickets. They are issued by the local government unit to the person who has violated the law. While most receipts are due to traffic rules violations, they can be issued for other violations such as littering, noise pollution, spitting in public, vandalism, etc.
Go Manila App allows you to pay your ordinance violation receipts online, saving time as you don’t have to go to the government office in person.
- Notice of Violations
As mentioned before, the city of Manila is trying to improve itself and become an actual smart city of the 21st century. An important improvement towards achieving this goal is the No-contact apprehension service and automatic notice of violation.
This notice is sent to the person who violated a law and was caught on camera during the act. The notice usually contains your details, the video clip, and the fine you must pay. The Go Manila App’s ‘notice of violation’ feature allows you to check whether you are apprehended during a violation. If you are, it allows you to pay the fine online.
- Business Permit Licensing
A business permit is necessary for a business to operate in an area; in the Philippines, it is issued by a local government unit. The business Permit Licensing feature of the Go Manila App allows you to file and pay for the application of a new business permit or renewal of an existing one.
- Real Property Tax
- E-Bill
This group of features of the Go Manila App is related to various bill payments, such as:
- Private Billers
This feature allows you to pay bills online to various private billers for electricity, water, cable, telecommunication, internet, etc.
- SSS
Social Security System is a government program in the Philippines, and all income earners are required to participate in it. It provides monthly payments to its members in case of illness, disability, retirement, and death.
However, to be eligible for these benefits, a member of the SSS must pay 14% of their monthly income. The SSS feature of the Go Manila App allows you to make an online payment for your SSS.
- PAGIBIG
The PAGIBIG feature allows you to pay your loans and monthly amortizations through online payment.
- Philhealth
PhilHealth is a government-run health insurance program; it provides financial help to its members when they need medical care. The insurance premium of PhilHealth is 4% of your monthly income. The Philhealth feature allows you to pay your Philhealth contribution online, saving you a lot of time as you don’t have to go to the Philhealth branch office.
- Private Billers
- E-Commerce
This group of features on the Go Manila App is related to buying things online.
- E-Kitchen
This feature allows Philippine citizens to buy foods and beverages through online payments; it also allows you to leave reviews and track your orders.
- E-Shopping
This feature allows Philippine citizens to buy anything they want to buy directly from the supplier’s online store.
- E-Market
This feature allows you to access online wet markets and buy fresh ingredients and pay for them through an online payment.
- E-Delivery
This feature allows you to access an end-to-end delivery platform that allows you to manage the entire process of ordering and delivering goods.
- E-Kitchen
- E-Services
This group contains features related to various services, such as:
- Social Amelioration
Social Ameliorations are programs run by the Philippine government that provides certain assistance to low-income families affected by COVID-19 in the form of food or cash. This feature allows you to access various social ameliorations using your phone.
- Job Hiring
This feature allows you to browse various job opportunities from various companies, and if you find a job that interests you, you can apply for it online.
- Rentals
This feature allows you to access various rental services online, such as car rentals, house rentals, equipment rentals, office rentals, event rentals, etc. The advantage of this is that you get access to numerous rental services; you can check the prices of these services, compare them, and select the best one.
- Loans
This feature allows you to access and apply for various load-related services programs such as home loans, car loans, business loans, microloans, SSS Salary Loan, etc.
- Medical Services
This feature allows you to access various medical programs online, such as Telehealth, Online Consultations, Online prescription refills, online medical records, etc.
- Social Amelioration
How to get to the Go Manila App?
Go Manila App is available on both the Google Play Store and Apple App Store; you can download it on your phone by following the following steps.
- Go to the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and search “Go Manila.”
- You will see the Go Manila App at the top of the search results, click it and then click install.
- The app will download and install on your phone within a few seconds.
How to use the Go Manila App?
Once you have the Go Manila App on your mobile phone, follow the following steps to set it up and start using it.
- Open the app.
- Create an account by providing your name, email address, and mobile number. The number must be a registered Philippine number because the Go Manila App is only available to Philippine citizens.
- You will get a verification code on your phone; put it in the app to verify your phone number and identity.
- Once you have verified your identity, you are free to use the Go Manila App as you like.
How to use the Go Manila App if you are in another Country?
You can still use the Go Manila App even if you are in another country; just follow the following steps:
- Obtain a virtual phone number from the Philippines; many platforms on the internet provide virtual phone numbers from different countries. Find the one that provides Philippine numbers for free or at an affordable price.
- Once you have your Philippine registered virtual number, then use that number to make a Go Manila account.
- You will get a code on your virtual phone number, put it in the app, and verify your account.
- Once you have verified your account, you can use the Go Manila App from anywhere in the world.
Is Go Manila App worth using?
Although the Go Manila App was developed under the administration of the Mayor of Manila, it has many faults and bugs that make you wonder whether you should use this app. We have scoured the internet for user reviews on this app and found that most reviews are negative.
At Google Play Store, its rating is 2.8, but there are 1.05K reviews and 100K+ downloads, and at apps.apple.com, its Ratings and Reviews are 5.0 out of 5 and 1 rating. Most of these reviews are negative; the most recent review was posted on 10/01/2023, which shows that the app still has plenty of bugs.
If you want to use, Go Manila App, we recommend doing some research of your own before deciding whether you want to use it.
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Quelle/Source: Time of Info, 11.05.2024
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