Council okays modernization, P5.3 million implementation fund

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu City Council has approved the modernization of the city government’s official web portal with a P5.3 million budget set aside for its implementation.

Officials describe the project as the city’s “online version of City Hall,” a digital gateway designed to make government services more accessible, transparent, and citizen-centered.

The resolution, sponsored by Councilor Edgardo “Jaypee” N. Labella II and endorsed by Mayor Nestor D. Archival, is supported by certifications of fund and appropriation availability from the City Treasurer and City Budget Officer.

The project will be implemented in 2025 under the Office of the Mayor’s ICT fund for the “Establishment of Digital Highways in Cebu City Hall.”

Labella, who chairs the Committee on Information and Communications Technology, broke down the project’s significance. He explained that the portal will serve as the city’s digital front door.

“Instead of asking asa ka muadto or kinsa akong duolon, you can just go online and find City services, announcements, forms, schedules, and all departments,” the councilor said.

He stressed that citizens will be able to view fees and registration requirements, access news, advisories, city events, and service information, and do so conveniently on mobile phones, tablets, or computers. The portal will also feature Cebuano and English versions, ensuring inclusivity for a wider audience.

The modernization will integrate multiple modules, including a Citizen Services Directory with step-by-step guides for transactions, a Transparency Portal publishing budget reports and procurement updates, and a Disaster Dashboard for real-time alerts.

It will also connect with city systems such as HRDO, CCTO, Finance, PWD Office, and CCDRRMO. Crucially, the Citizen’s Action Center (CAC) will be embedded into the portal, alongside other services like the online payment gateway, business permit application and renewal tracking, and an online appointment system.

Labella emphasized that these features will make services “brand new and up to date” for today’s internet-driven public.

“The web portal serves as the online front door—naa diri ang services, information, forms and announcements. In fact, mu-align ni siya sa atong bag-o nga e-payment ordinance para ma-update na pud ang mga pwede na online payments sa Cebu City. Kani nga mga projects show that Cebu City is now future forward and digital city,” Labella said.

The P5.3 million allocation covers the design, development, testing, and deployment of a modern Content Management System (CMS) with multi-level access for administrators, editors, and publishers.

It includes multilingual support, full mobile responsiveness, and compliance with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) to ensure inclusivity for persons with disabilities.

Security and compliance are central to the project, with SSL/TLS encryption, multi-factor authentication, CAPTCHA-enabled forms, and adherence to the Philippine Data Privacy Act.

Hosting provisions guarantee cloud-ready deployment, Content Delivery Network (CDN) integration, daily backups, and a 99.5 percent uptime service level agreement.

The package also includes training for at least 30 personnel, complete documentation, and a three-year warranty covering bug fixes and technical support.

Mayor Archival underscored the modernization as “a major step toward enhancing the City Government’s digital capabilities and improving public service delivery through a more efficient, transparent, and citizen-centered online platform.”

With the integration of e-payments, citizen feedback systems, transparency modules, and disaster response dashboards, Cebu City’s Web Portal Update is set to redefine how residents, businesses, and visitors interact with local government—cementing Cebu’s reputation as a future-forward digital city. — /RAE (FREEMAN)