Community e Center

COMMUNITY e CENTER “An important tool in local governance"
By: Luna Eulogio “Pongkoy” Manrique, EnP/MPDC
February 12, 2009

Every Local Government Unit (LGU) should recognize the vital role of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in local governance and management. ICT development and usage should be given recognition in the formulation of local development plans and policies and in carrying out the operation of the organization. Just for an example, the mere presence of a municipal website will make a municipality a part of the global Information Society.

The rececently concluded CeC Managers Exchange Program by NCC under the guidance of Ms Concepcion Lasam and Cuchie Echeverria had given us the insights of the vital role of CeC in empowering LGUs socially, economically, and politically.In our very own Municipality of Boac it is through our CeC that we have develop and established the Boac Telerad (short for Boac Teleradiology), and at present we are now developing the TeleBarangay Healthcare system. The Exchange Program had given me the learnings that CeC besides that it can give the community affordable and most of the time free internet access for research and online communication, it can also serve as a training facility for Skill IT training for municipal and barangay governmennt workers, and a conduit training facility for the eEskuwela Program of DepEd.

Another important role of CeC in LGUs is it will serve as an electronic gateway and will open access points for eGovernance, eAgriculture, eHealth, eLibrary, eLearning,eEmployment to mention a few. Every LGU should also give emphasis on providing the general public with awareness of the importance ICT usage and applications in daily work, and we can only do this by establishing a Community e Center.

It is through CeC that will make every LGU OnLine!!!