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eBarangay is Luna eCenter’s concern

Written by Milflorence

Friday, 23 January 2009

Engr. Edward Lactam, CeC staff, conducting the lecture

Consistent with the vision of Luna eCenter to serve as a competent provider of modern ICT services that will contribute to the upliftment of the quality of life of the townsfolk of Luna and Lower Apayao and as part of the local government unit’s eGovernance Program, Luna eCenter is now conducting a series of training workshops on basic computer operations to barangay officials particularly the Punong Barangay, Secretary and Treasurer and other interested barangay officials.

The training aims to equip and capacitate barangay officials with basic computer knowledge and operations essential in office functions and records management. It is conducted every Friday at the eCenter. Since there are only ten computer units available for use in the training at the eCenter, the training is conducted in batches with nine participants per batch.

Serving as the lecturer is the IT Officer, Engr. Edward Lactam, and the trainers/coaches are the staff composed of eight personnel of the Municipal Planning and Development Office where the eCenter is housed.

Hands-on session with barangay secretaries

CeC Manager Millet Agustin attends to the oldest participant

The participants are taught the basics of word processing since this is widely used especially in the drafting of barangay ordinances, resolutions, letters, development and investment plans and other documents. A minimal registration fee of five hundred pesos is collected from each participant chargeable against their respective barangay funds to defray the cost of meals, snacks and training kits.

“In my entire life, this is the first time that I got near and had firsthand experience at turning on and shutting down a computer. I used to hear that thing is very sensitive and a wrong move may damage it, like a bomb”, shares a Barangay Kagawad who obviously was unburdened by her wrong notion that the computer is such a delicate object.

Meanwhile, a proud Barangay Secretary told her co-participants, “Alas! I can now print as many copies as required without having to draw so many lines in the tables when I’m typing (using a typewriter).” She is referring to the Barangay Investment Plan which is in table form and must be submitted in no less than five copies.

Liga ng Barangay President attends the training

Liga ng Barangay President (in orange) attends the training

The training, indeed, is a venue of introducing the technology to those who have zero knowledge of computer operation and of familiarizing those who have very little know-how. To date, fifteen barangays have already been trained. The remaining seven barangays of the municipality are scheduled for training in the coming weeks.

It is believed that after the training program, there will no longer be handwritten or typewritten reports from the barangays. With the training, where we were able to sense the eagerness of the “technophobics” or the so called “computer illiterates”, we realized that, indeed, there is still a long way to go for Luna eCenter. There’s a lot of work to be done for the people and the community, and the eCenter should start moving now. It must continue to provide venues and strategies to bring ICT to the people especially in the barangays.