Ormoc leads EV in e-governance

MAYOR Eric C. Codilla bannered his accomplishment of computerizing the operations of the local government unit (LGU) in his State of the City Address last Feb. 23. Speaking before an audience from a cross section of local society, he took pride that Ormoc is in step with other big cities in e-governance.

According to him, the LGU developed its own 27 software application systems that are already operational. Another innovation is the setting up of a website which drew benefits including the bilateral partnership the LGU established with Hawai’i. Mayor Codilla said it was Hawai’i that pursued a sisterhood agreement after its officials learned of their county’s similarity with Ormoc on geothermal resource through the city’s website.
 

Not only does the website (www.ormoc.gov.ph) provide information and developments about Ormoc, it also has two new features: the water billing inquiry and realty tax inquiry systems that update consumers and taxpayers on their payables online. These have been beneficial to Ormocanons including those living abroad.
 

Mayor Codilla then explained the different levels of computerization. He said many government and private offices claim to be computerized just because they use computers. This type of computerization is Level 1. An organization’s attains Level 2 computerization if its computers in one office are connected to each other.
 

It rises to Level 3 if the computers in the different offices are interlinked through local area network; and Level 4 if the connection of computers extends to those in other buildings via wide local area network and wireless fidelity. Ormoc’s computerization is Level 4 because not only are the computers connected within City Hall but also to other offices in other departments located in separate buildings (see figure 1).
 

Level 4 computerization, for instance, allows sharing of files on each others’ patients among the district health centers. “If you go to the health center in Curva, your profile will be recorded so that if you go to Ipil health center, its staff will be able to retrieve your medical records from Curva including the medicines released to you just by getting using your thumbprint,” Mayor Codilla explained.

Computerization also improved income collection of five offices whose daily collections are simultaneously accessible to the City Treasurer’s Office (see figure 2). Before computerization, some market collectors were able to pilfer their collections. “Kay kaniadto, naa pa lagi nang official receipt, usahay butangan (sa mga kolektor) og P5,000 (ang original) unya ang duplicate P50,” Mayor Codilla said.
 

The LGU’s computerization extends to the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) which installed the Electronic Legislative Engine for Governance and Information Management Utility System. This database system stores all existing records of resolutions and ordinances as well as video and audio files of the SP’s sessions. It also provides backup copy and comprehensive file of the city’s voluminous legislative codes.

City Hall enhanced its telecommunications system by installing an Automatic Branch Exchange which reduced its phone subscription from 80 to 24 lines connected to 300 telephone units. Naturally, its phone bill also went down from P600,000 to P173,000 every year, resulting to an annual savings of P427,000.

Mayor Codilla said his computerization program achieved a wider range of office connectivity, better linkages and more lines for communication and information dissemination between the LGU and the community in general. He also considers it as the most viable and effective means in streamlining the workflow, improve operations and services, and produce a more efficient and productive workforce. 

(West Leyte Weekly Express issue of Feb. 13-19, 2012)