THE MANAGEMENT Association of the Philippines (MAP) is looking at launching a program for local government units (LGUs) that will have a two-pronged approach: aid in their digital transformation; and address malnutrition and child stunting in their locality.
Under the Adopt an LGU program, the MAP will select LGUs to be assisted in using digital solutions to improve the ease of doing business. The MAP will also recognize digitally transformed LGUs and have a “MAP’s LGU of the Year” award to serve as a model for others.
“This can encourage them to push for more economic activities through better processes, and thus attain their objective of making life easier for their citizens,” MAP President Benedicta Du-Baladad told reporters recently.
The MAP, through its Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Committee, will work with the Department of Social Welfare and Development in identifying the LGUs to be selected for the program.
“There are now 235 barangays that are part of the Philippine Multistakeholder Nutrition Program that is funded by the World Bank. Our program will coincide with theirs, but we will also go outside the 235,” Ms. Du-Baladad said.
She said the program is an “up-and-coming project” that requires the consolidation of data for the MAP to have a basis on which municipalities to prioritize.
Last Friday, the MAP signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) and the Departments of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to provide technical assistance and capacity-building programs to select LGUs.
The MOU has four components: policy direction and advocacy campaign, capacity development, logistics and technical support, and monitoring and performance assessment.
Under the MOU, the DILG must conduct policy orientation to concerned LGUs, implement streamlining systems, and conduct quarterly monitoring, while the DICT is responsible for the conduct of users’ training on E-Local Government Unit.
ARTA, as part of the Paspas Pilipinas Paspas Project in partnership with Manila Electric Co., and the DILG will be responsible for the hardware and software support. It will also do actual audit and validation for the monitoring and performance assessments of the LGUs.
For its part, the MAP is in-charge of capacity building such as technical assistance, while selection and documentation of best practices of the LGUs may be subject to recognition by MAP.— Justine Irish D. Tabile
