Tisa steps up info dissemination system

CEBU, Philippines — In a bid to improve the delivery of basic services to its constituents, Cebu City’s Barangay Tisa has introduced the country’s first ever village-based infocast—Tisa Textline.

The textline is dedicated to send out information, such as barangay advisories and weather bulletins, and other concerns to the residents.

The village launched the textline yesterday in partnership with Smart Communications Inc., which developed the infocast, a web-based program.

Tisa Village Chief Philip Zafra said the textline is seen to help boost his barangay’s services, including peace and order, healthcare, garbage, and emergency response, among others.

He said the residents can now easily send their complaints and requests, as well as connect with the barangay via a text message to 7444TISA (74448472).

He said all information received will be strictly confidential.

Those interested can register using an online form.

Smart, Sun Cellular and Talk and Text subscribers can text for free.

At present, there are about 200 subscribers.

Zafra said the barangay has started profiling the registrants.

To institutionalize it, he said, the barangay will craft an ordinance establishing the project.

The project is the brainchild of Herty Lopez, who ran as barangay councilman last May but lost.

But Lopez pushed through with the project with Zafra’s support. Lopez serves as the administrator of the Tisa Textline.

The barangay though is still further discussing guidelines and strategies on how to run and manage the system.

The implementation of the program is at no cost to the village, said Carmencita Nancy Nacua, Community Development Partnerships of Smart Communications, Inc. in Central Visayas.

Nacua said Smart did not think twice about accepting the project.

She said it is one of the company’s advocacies to assist local government units in upgrading the delivery of their services and programs.

Also, she believes that the platform generally provides faster and more convenient service, especially the digital delivery of information.

She said the company is open and willing to accept any requests from other barangays that wish to replicate the same platform. — KBQ (FREEMAN)