Participants in dutiful attention during their CeC orientation and on-site inspection.

In preparation for their Community eCenter’s official deployment, the Pangasinan municipalities of Villasis, Sta. Barbara and Bayambang welcomed National Computer Center’s Regional IT Coordinators (RITCs) Marina Secorsicon and Thomas Alcantara for their municipalities’ on-site inspection and CeC orientation held from January 25-27. The inspection and orientation are part of the Philippine CeC Program’s pre-deployment activities to assess and ensure the readiness of the local team to establish and operate a CeC.  

All three municipalities, through the local government and CeC Core group present, expressed their eagerness and excitement on having a CeC. During the orientation, many of the participants already began planning their CeC’s activities.

The orientation also provided the opportunity for the participants to tackle questions and concerns regarding CeC operations, such as proper physical setup and ventilation for CeCs, the do’s and don’ts in CeC management and the role of the core group and the community in managing their CeC.

Aside from the CeC Core group and local government officials, the orientation and on-site visits in Pangasinan were also enthusiastically participated in by the academe  and  representatives from the provincial health and the local women’s organizations.  It was a gratifying experience to see the participants’ excitement, eagerness and dedication as they shared their knowledge, experiences and ideas.

In the end, these three municipalities will take different roads and will make different plans for their CeCs. But their goal will remain the same: to utilize the CeC to serve and empower their communities.