As part of the continuing partnership efforts of the Innovative Technologies for Open Government Partnership Coalition (ITOGP), the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP), in partnership with the Department of Interior and Local Government Unit – Bureau of Local Government Development (DILG-BLGD), Department of Science and Technology Information and Communications Technology Office (DOST-ICTO) and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), in collaboration with Ayala Foundation, Inc. (AFI), USAID E-PESO, and the National ICT Confederation of the Philippines (NICP), conducted the LGU ICT Forum Mindanao Leg, with this year’s theme: Strengthening LGU Capacities through ICT: “Innovation, Competitiveness and Transparency” in Cagayan De Oro City on September 3, 2015. The first of the three island-wide fora welcomed around 250 participants from different LGUs in Mindanao who were able to complete the streamlining of business permits processes, comply with the Business Permit and Licensing System (BPLS) standards and were deemed one of the E-ready LGUs by the DOST-ICTO.
With the support of various companies including Microsoft Philippines, Canon, PLDT Alpha, Felta, Ng Khai, WSI, DBP-DCI, Bizbox, Syntactics and American Technologies the ICT Forum generally promotes the importance and use of technology in the local government units’ system and operations as they address the demand and deliver the needs of their constituents. This event also aims to strengthen LGU practices on transparency and accountability. Specifically, it offers an avenue to:
Update LGUs on the current programs and policies of national government in creating a business enabling environment through the use of technology.
Showcase LGUs best practices in maximizing the use of technology in their operations, system and structure for better performance.
Apprise LGUs on the different and available system application that they can be used and adopt to create innovation and transparency in their operations and effective delivery of services.
Enable LGUs to choose superior technology that fits their needs and meet the demand of their constituents especially in making and doing business.
Various private companies exhibited and showcased innovative technology solutions to the participants. Interested LGUs were given the opportunity to discuss the technology and sign up with the exhibitors follow through. These companies also gave away raffle items to the attendees.
During the lightning talks portion of the program, ULAP Executive Director Czarina Medina-Guce gave an overview of the Open Government Partnership and the Third OGP Action Plan Commitment. Mayor Oscar Moreno of Cagayan De Oro City, ULAP’s third Vice-President, and Councilor Kirk Asis of Bayugan City, current ULAP Assistant Secretary General, were also among the speakers during the event. The former presented CDO’s Text2Teach Project experience while the latter represented the LGUs in his Call to Action speech.
The LGU ICT Fora for Luzon and Visayas are scheduled on September 16 and 22 respectively. The Luzon leg will be held at the Makati Palace Hotel, Makati City and the Visayas leg at Punta Villa Resort, Santo Niño Sur, Villa Arevalo District, Iloilo City, Iloilo. For more information and for those who want to register, you may visit www.lguictforum.org.