City to spend P1.6 million for anti-virus software

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City government will spend P1.6 million for the purchase of anti-virus software to prevent an eventual crash in computer systems – either application or operating systems - reportedly infected by computer viruses of sorts. 

The purchase is considered to protect the City Hall’s computer system used in the preparation of payrolls of its 5,000 employees.

William Cris Artajo, head of the CH’s Management Information and Computers Service, said that the anti-virus software they are planning to purchase will “not expire anymore; instead it will receive updates from time to time.”

After nearly experiencing a bog down in the computer system used in the preparation of payrolls recently, some CH personnel said they are worried they might not receive their salaries tomorrow.

But Artajo assured them there is nothing to worry for now. “Makasweldo gihapon ta ngadto sa mga kawani sa City Hall. Ang problema mao nga dunay mga computers nga ang users dili maka-log in sa ilang computers adtong higayona tungod sa virus,” Artajo said.

Artajo strongly discouraged CH personnel from using Universal Serial Buses, unless these USBs are registered first with the MICS. Around 400 personal computers, including laptops, are issued to elected officials and some department heads of the City Hall.

As the USB was designed to allow various peripheral devices to be connected using a single standardized interface socket to improve computer capabilities by allowing connection and disconnection of these devices without necessarily rebooting the computer, this also allows for the possible transmission of destructive computer viruses. —Rene U. Borromeo/MEEV   (THE FREEMAN)