The fifth-class municipality of Libertad, Antique won the Business Empowerment Digital Governance Award 2021 in a ceremony held recently.
Mayor Mary Jean Nicopior-Te said it is a big honor for their municipality to be recognized in a virtual ceremony.
“Our innovation, the eWaterworks, using the digital system in the billing of the Libertad Waterworks, which is owned by the local government unit (LGU), received the Digital Governance Award 2021,” she said.
The digital billing system was part of the package for the establishment of the Libertad Waterworks funded by the P12.726 million Aid to Municipalities from the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and another P12 million from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
“Our Management Information System (MIS) made the eWaterworks digital system to further improve our billing system.”
“Our Management Information System (MIS), which also won last year in the Digital Governance Award 2021, made the eWaterworks digital system to further improve our billing system,” Nicopior-Te explained.
The billing is automatically reflected in the LGUs financial system making it easier to know the collectibles and income derived from the Libertad Waterworks.
The billing of its around 1,000 consumers has a bar code making the payment faster as the treasurer’s office only needs to scan the code.
“The Libertad Waterworks is now serving five barangays out of the total 19 in the municipality,” Nicopior-Te said.
She said before the establishment of the Libertad Waterworks the municipal residents were only using jet pumps or motors to get their drinking water from the deep wells.
Meanwhile, DILG Antique provincial director Cherryl Tacda said she is proud of the municipality of Libertad.
“I am proud of Libertad for bringing the banner of Antique.”
“I am proud of Libertad for bringing the banner of Antique and for my challenge to document exemplary practices that may be replicated by other LGUs nationwide,” Tacda stressed.
She is looking forward to more innovative projects by the LGUs in Antique in the future.
The Digital Governance Award 2021 is held to recognize the best practices of the LGUs in the use of information and communications technology (ICT) to improve service to the public.
It is being organized by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), DILG, and National ICT Confederation of the Philippines.
