DILG lauds Ormoc’s IT system as the best in EV

TWO officers of Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) described City Hall’s information technology (IT) program as worth replicating nationwide. The remark was made at the outcome of the two-day documentation of best practices on Business Permits and Licensing System.

Regional Planning Center Manager Lilian H. Madjus noted that while other metropolitan cities have the same IT capability, most of their software are brought from vendors and their programs outsourced. Ormoc, on the other hand, developed 27 of its own software.
 

Administrative Asst. III Melchizedec Yap of the IT Department informs that in-house software development saved the local government unit (LGU) P135 million with each software costing up to P5 million if procured from an outside supplier. But the LGU invested on hardware to the tune of P15 million through high-end IBM computers and servers that allow the units to operate 24 hours a day and seven days a week without interruption.
 

Ormoc’s superior IT capability allowed it to pioneer the streamlining of business permit application in the Visayas. What used to take days to issue a business permit now takes an hour because the 17 steps have been reduced to five. Madjus interviewed several businessmen who said business permit application is now convenient with friendly and accommodating staff, no fixers and no holidays nor weekend offs during peak season.
 

For his part, Myles E. Colasito, manger of DILG’s GoFar Program appreciates that the system connects the Business, Permits and Licensing Office to six other departments including the City Treasurer’s Office through Local and Wireless Area Networks. It also allows immediate posting of accounts and generate delinquent accounts to speed up the printing of notices and demand letters. Records are also more up-to-date.
 

These innovations contributed to increased collections which doubled from P30 million in 2004 to P72 million in recent years (see figure 1), Permits, Licensing and Franchising Chief Emilio G. Tingson said. The renewal and registration of new businesses also doubled from 4,459 in 2004 (see figure 2).
 

The GoFar Program is a facility to assist LGUs in building their capacities to enhance development planning, fiscal administration, accountability and service delivery by replicating good, innovative and sustainable practices. It aims to institutionalize the sharing and replication of sustainable good practices in local governance to enable LGUs improve their delivery of basic services to their constituencies. by Jun Tarroza  

(West Leyte Weekl;y Express issue of Mar. 12-18, 2012)