‘Hackathon’ to develop procurement apps set

MANILA, Philippines - The Open Data Philippines Task Force will hold a briefing at the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig tomorrow for potential participants in the upcoming procurement app “hackathon” later this month.

The task force said information about the hackathon, including the announcement of problem statement and the presentation of data sets, will be provided during the briefing.

An overview of the procurement process will also be provided for participants, said the organizers.

The briefing will be held at the World Bank Office in Taguig City at 6 p.m. tomorrow.

Earlier, presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda, whose office is part of the task force, said the procurement hackathon “aims to harness the potential of civic technology in fostering government transparency and increasing public awareness of the procurement process.”

Organized in partnership with the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System and Globe Telecom, the hackathon will bring together developers, designers, researchers, and data gurus in the country in a bid to develop procurement-related applications.

“Potential app ideas and challenges include helping citizens understand and monitor the procurement process, matching government needs with prospective bidders, and assembling a history or track record of previous bidders,” said Lacierda.

The hackathon will be held from Nov. 23 to 24. Participants are invited to form groups of three to four people with a mix of developers and designers.

Participants may register online at data.gov.ph/events/procurementhack.

“By bringing together different sectors, the hackathon provides a platform for collaboration among various groups – government, the private sector, civil society, and international partners,” said Lacierda.