Speech for the Launching of the Digital Cities Philippines Awards for Best Practices in eGovernance for LGUs on July 20, 2018 at Novotel, Manila
Good evening, fellow digital champions, movers, and shakers with special mention to the men and women in this room who believes that the strength of this country lies in the sum of all the strengths of all the municipalities, cities, and provinces.
This morning, the first qoutation I saw on social media says — Our success is achieved in uniting our strengths, not in gathering our weaknesses.
Tonight is a night to gather our strenghts – we are standing on the treshold of an important timeline which I firmly believe will be part of history – the beginning of an era that will allow us to witness the rise of digital cities
In 2011, as president of the National ICT Confederation of the Philippines together with members of the board, met with Undersecretary Austere Panadero of the Department of Interior and Local Government to explore how local ICT champions can collaborate with the DILG. We identified the need to improve our ease of doing business in the local government level as one important parameter under business environment of the ICT-BPM scorecard.
In that meeting our former NICP president George Sorio, then president of the Metro Clark ICT Council offered to sponsor what became the 1st eGOV Awards or the Excellence in eGovernance Through ICT.
In 2012, a historical signing of happened the City of Naga, hometown of the late Secretary Jesse Robredo – of the Memorandum of Agreement between DILG and NICP. The event was assisted by ICT@Bicol and the city government of Naga.
Our first eGOV Awards was held in Sta Rosa, during the 4th NICP National Summit hosted by LINK-IT Laguna ICT council led now president of NICP – Dr. Tony Del Carmen.
Every year since 2012 – NICP, despite all the challenges continously staged the eGOV Awards with the full support of the DILG particularly under the Bureau of Local Government Development headed by Directlr Anna Liza Bonagua who is here today.
Our ICT councils all over the Philippines have transformed not only as IT-BPM champions but eGOVernance champions.
Since 2012 we have documented over 200 eGov projects from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Today belonging to our hall of fame as eGOV winners – are 13 cities, 11 municipalities and 3 provinces. These eGov winners receive our symbolic LIGHTHOUSE trophy to depict the role of eGOV winners as a guide and a light for other local government units to follow.
We celebrate many milestones tonight –
We have presented our eGov Advocacy in the Senate as our input for the passage of the latest law of Ease of Doing Business.
Several of eGOV LGU winners have also won other national and international awards for their eGov systems.
Our eGOV winners for the last three years have been featured to inspire and serve as benchmarks for other LGUs in the DILG LGU ICT Forum and in all NICP cluster summits in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
Tonight we will witness another milestone – which began last year as the Department of Information and Communications Technology initiated the Digital Cities PH under which one component is Digital Governance. – the Digital Cities PH – Best Practices in eGOVernance or eGOV Awards.
In behalf of NICP, DILG and DICT, I am inviting all interested partners, associations and companies present tonight to support the new eGOV awards.
(Video on the DCP eGOV Awards is played)
Link to Video: https://www.dropbox.com/s/yi8ptnrcmw1cwna/DCP%20eGOV%20Awards%20-%20Novotel.mp4?dl=0
SCRIPT OF VIDEO:
The fourth industrial revolution continues to change the way we do things. Technology has disrupted slow and obsolete processes to hasten and enhance human interactions. The pace of day to day transactions both in government and the private sector has grown faster than ever. It is time for cities and provinces to keep up with the speed at which citizens require public service. There is a growing demand for the application of e governance or the integration of information and communications technology in the delivery of public services
For this purpose, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the National ICT Confederation of the Philippines (NICP) are proud to launch the Digital Cities Philippines Awards for Best Practices in eGovernance at the level of local government units
The awards aim to highlight and encourage the effective and efficient delivery of services and performance of the duties and responsibilities by local government units.
To share and replicate innovative practices, and commend and collate practices in LGUs in integrating ICT in their processes to serve as example and benchmarks to other LGUs
To improve the business development, social services and the ecosystem of the LGUs and motivate the private and business sector to actively participate and invest in the growth of the LGUs
To promote citizen’s responsibility and participation as well as accountability, efficiency and transparency in governance and encourage innovation
There are six categories for this year
Best in Customer Empowerment (G2C) Award
This category recognizes the measurable effect of an LGU’s outstanding practices using ICT solutions in the education and engagement of the public and in the use of electronic facilities towards providing improved timely and relevant delivery of public services
Best in Business Empowerment (G2B) Award
This category awards the significant effect of an LGU’s laudable practices in integrating ICT solutions and the LGUs responsiveness to the needs of business enterprises, thereby creating business opportunities
Best in Government Inter-operability Empowerment (G2G) Award
This category awards the valuable impact of an LGU’s initiative to connect data and systems with other government offices, both national and local for the convenience of their constituents and to improve its public service delivery
Best in Digital Finance Empowerment (P2G) Award
this category commends the initiative of an LGU to promote e-commerce or electronic payment facilities and systems to ensure effective revenue generation and improving the financial management of the LGU as well as giving convenience to the public
Best in Data-Driven Governance (D2G) Award
This category cites the efforts of local governments in recognizing that good governance through ICT goes hand in hand with the fair and responsible processing and use of data
Best in Systems for Global Competitiveness (G2W) Award
This category cites the efforts of an LGU in developing world class systems in using ICT that are at par with international or internationally –recognized standards, thus making the LGU globally competitive, recognized, and virtually accessible and interactive
One city, one province and one municipality will be declared as champion per category based on four major criteria.
Innovative management (25 points) – This criterion demonstrates the degree to which the entry explored, applied and managed the elements and “outside-the-box” strategies that brought about the success of the entry.
Impact (25 points) – The project demonstrates the major results, their effects and benefits to the recipients of the service (public, employees, or business).
Relevance (25 points) – The project demonstrates how the entry relates to the overall objectives of the LGU and to the category to which it is nominated.
Replication potential (25 points) – The project demonstrates the model qualities of the practice with the possibility and applicability of replicating it in other localities.
The Philippines will rise as a digital nation with every local government unit doing their share in effectively creating strategies to bring government closer to citizens, systems that will enhance transparency and accountability, platforms that will improve the business environment, attract investors confidence and stakeholders participation, and develop sustainable programs to achieve the goals of the communities.
Join the Digital Cities Philippines Awards today and be part of the Fourth Industrial Revolution! Visit http://www.nicp.ego.ph/DCP-eGov
Jocelle Batapa Sigue 