IBM here to study MCDCB link-up

CEBU, Philippines - The six-member Executive Services Corps of International Business Machines are in Cebu today for a three-week program that aims to address the challenge for integrated development.

This team of IBM executives will work with key cities in the Metro Cebu Development and Coordination Board (MCDCB).

The program will focus on identifying specific problems and issues, especially those that require collaboration among the local government units.

The team will then recommend policies, processes and supporting Information and Communication Technology systems that would address these issues.

They will be working with specific offices in each LGU and would look into their socio-economic and physical profile, comprehensive development plan, comprehensive land use plan, zoning map plan, drainage and sewerage plan and other pertinent documents.

They originally planned to work with only six cities but with the establishment of the MCDCB, they decided to develop an operational framework for cooperation among all member LGUs.

MCDCB covers LGUs from Danao City in the north to Carcar City in the south.

The IBM team will be working with the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc., which will act as the facilitator between the LGUs and IBM.

RAFI President Roberto “Bobby” Aboitiz called this a “golden opportunity” for the concerned cities.

“If we were to hire these people to give us the consulting services, it would cost us millions of pesos. But this is coming to us as a gift,” Aboitiz said.

Cebu is one of the 11 recipients of this IBM project worldwide.

“We are a broader region. Many of the things that we need to grow and we need for tomorrow require integration,” Aboitiz said.

“As long as there’s a strong commitment from all parties–from the government and, of course, from the private sector, also from the communities, if they work hand-in-hand and collaborate together, I have no doubt that this will be a successful project,” said James Velasquez, country general manager of IBM Philippines.

The priority areas of the project will be in land use planning and zoning as well as transport and traffic management. — (FREEMAN)