Phl, USaID tap Microsoft for fisherfolk registration

MANILA, Philippines - Government agencies engaged in fisheries and the US Agency for International Development (USAID) has tapped Microsoft Philippines for the implementation of the simplified registration of municipal fishermen, the United States embassy in Manila announced yesterday.

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) is currently simplifying the registration system for subsistence fisherfolk as it updates the national registry of municipal workers in the fisheries industry.

The program is supported by USAID through its Ecosystems Improved for Sustainable Fisheries Project.

The US embassy in Manila, in a statement, said that Microsoft Philippines would use TV White Space technology to establish connectivity in rural areas, the first of which would be the municipalities located in the Danajon Reef Marine key Biodiversity Area in Bohol province.

These are the municipalities of Talibon, Trinidad, Bien Unido, Ubay, and Carlos P. Garcia.

TV White space technology provides wireless internet access over unused TV channels.

“The US government is pleased to continue our collaboration with the Philippine govenrment and the private sector as part of our shared vision of broad-based and inclusive growth for the Philippines. This ground breaking initiative demonstrates how win-win solutions for the environment and the business sector can be both profitable and sustainable,” said USAID Mission director Gloria Steele.

The initiative would allow local government units to access BFAR’s Fisherfolk  Registration System (FRS) directly from the field, eliminating the tedious process of completing the forms on paper and encoding entries back in the municipal hall, hence enabling municipalities to immediately distribute critical IDs, certificates and licenses to fisherfolk especially in remote areas.

Field operatives from the Philippine National Police, Bantay Dagat, and BFAR could immediately access and connect to a central database to monitor compliance in gear and vessels.

Municipal clinics, public schools and barangay halls would also be transformed to e-knowledge hubs and would also serve as mobile registration centers especially for fishermen located in remote or traditionally low turn-out areas.

The US embassy said Microsoft Philippines would provide Windows 8-powered tablets to aid mobility for the registration.

“The TV White Space technology is an example of how untapped resources such as unused television channels can be leveraged to empower people’s lives like our fisherfolk with a better and convenient registration system,” Karrie Ilagan, managing director of Microsoft Philippines, was quoted in the statement.

“Furthermore, we hope that the TV White Space technology can reinforce the replication of registration efforts like this in other underserved areas to transform more communities.”

The US embassy said the use of TV White Space technology in the fisheries registration system is targeted for full implementation in September.

Results would be gathered and considered for potential expansion in 2014.

Microsoft Philippines this month signed a memorandum of understanding with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) on the adoption of TV White Space technology in the country.

The DOST launched last year its TV White Space initiative to explore ways of maximizing unutilized TV frequencies for data communications, such as those needed for government services such as e-learning, telehealth and telemedicine, as well as environmental sensors for weather monitoring.

The technology is also eyed for the provision of basic internet access for areas outside commercial telco coverage.