San Remigio to open second e-center today

CEBU, Philippines - The Municipality of San Remigio is set to inaugurate today the second Community e-Center in Barangay San Miguel.

The town hosts the pilot rural community e-center in the Visayas which was first established in 2004.

Assisted by the National Computer Center-ICT, the Community e-Center has grown to two and another two more will be established at the school level with the launching of e-ESKWELA in two public schools, said Municipal Planning and Development Coordinator, Engr. Romeo Cabellon.

The local government unit of San Remigio is undertaking a Wireless-wide Area Network throughout the municipality.

The main proponent, Central Visayas Information System (CVIS.net) President and Cebu City Councilor Roberto Cabarrubias has signed a Memorandum of Agreement with Mayor Jay Olivar.

The project incorporates the e-Barangay Project by bringing into the municipality the Barangay Information System (BIS) like the Barangay Clearance, Barangay Judicial System and Residents’ Profile, thus providing a strong stimulus for the competitiveness of San Remigio and increasing the efficiency in rendering public service.

Comprising the wireless connectivity, the project entails the provision of three barangay stations and two repeater stations.

Cabellon said that the project also provides internet communications capability at the barangay level providing services such as Voice Over Internet Protocol and video conferencing.

A video surveillance and security cameras will also be installed to help provide safety to the community. This is also very useful in disaster mitigation and preparedness, said Cabellon.

The first phase of the project entails the installation of a base station in the municipal hall and subscriber units to Poblacion, San Miguel and Tambongon. Two repeater stations would be in Bagtic and Bancasan. The connectivity of the whole LGU will be via internet wireless technology.

Cabellon said he started the project since the past administration and sustained his effort to sell the idea to the present set of government officials.

He said that technical assistance of the managing consultant of CVIS.net, Jeffrey Llanto, had always been there finding the way to the realization of the first phase.

Cabellon said that because the sustainability of any undertaking is always a concern especially for projects that bear on the lives of people in the community, capability-building had always been emphasized.

One of which is the Social Preparation conducted early this year with Malyn Mantos, a capability-building consultant with the CVIS.net team of Cabarrubias, Llanto and Bramee Licayan.

The past months, San Remigio sent personnel to the Development Academy of the Philippines to acquire skills in managing community e-centers.

The municipality is also in its initial stage of organizing a foundation representing the different sectors in the community which will be technology users. — (FREEMAN)