The city government of Bais turned over sets of Information Technology and Communication (ICT) equipment to 35 barangay captains for the implementation of the Barangay Aggregated Information System (BAIS).
The BAIS program, which takes its name from the city, is a data-collection system tool developed by the city government together with private firm Perpanum in response to the call of the Commission of Population and Development’s call to local government units to establish its own Registry of Barangay Inhabitants and Migrants (RBIM) systems.
It aims to generate real time aggregated data on the actual number of inhabitants and migrant inhabitants of a certain barangay and their demographic profile, which is useful in formulating data-driven policies and efficient delivery of services.
Mayor Luigi Goñi led the ceremonial turnover of the ICT equipment on Jan. 8 at the Bais City Training Center.
Commission of Population and Development executive director Undersecretary Lisa Bersales and her staff in Region 7 led by Regional Director Atty. Bruce Ragas also attended the event.
Each set of ICT equipment is composed of a desktop computer, smart TV, printer, ring lights, paper cutter, and ID cutter.
Barangay residents are urged to go to their respective barangay hall and register for BAIS-RBIM and the barangay secretary will facilitate their registration and encode their demographic profile in the system.
The ICT equipment is also capable of printing barangay IDs, solo parent IDs, and other identification cards and certificates which can be issued at the barangay level.
Goñi stressed that a data-driven approach is necessary for the effective delivery of social services from the government and aid from government officials.
“Atong ibutang for example ang congressman or a senator kanang mohatag og support sa certain nga sector like mga single mom or atong pedicab drivers, mga ingon anang sector kana if masulod na tanan data (sa system), usa ka pindot nimo kabalo na ka asa sila bulongon. Dili na ka maglisod asa, kinsa ang intended na mga recipients,” Goñi said. (“Let’s say, for example, a congressman or a senator would like to give support to a certain sector like single mothers, pedicab drivers, and similar groups, we can generate the data immediately if they have been registered within the system. We will be able to identify them easily.”)
City Population, Information and Community Affairs Division (CPICAD) officer-in- charge Bemar Torres said the system will be able to generate aggregated data on resident’s sex, age, educational status, employment status, and skills development.
Bais City is the first LGU in the country to cascade the implementation of RBIM at the barangay level, as other LGUs that adopted this program have implemented it at a centralized level where most of the encoders are stationed inside the city or municipal hall.
“We are the first na atong giabot sa barangay ang kaning programa. For now ang atoang giu-una og train ang mga barangay secretary ug mga kapitan but eventually we will send them support. Kinahanglan tag magpadala og encoder na mo-encode og data sa system,” Goñi said. (“We are the first LGU to bring this program down to the barangay level. We first trained the barangay secretary and the captains on this but we will send them support eventually. We need to provide them with encoders who would input the data in the system.”)
Undersecretary Lisa Bersales lauded the city government for taking this initiative to the grassroots level. “Only about four percent of the barangays in the Philippines have RBIM so si Bais City is an example of a city that provided 100 percent infra and hardware as well as system itself so unique siya. In some areas, one or two areas lang tapos hindi nag-provide ang city (government) ng hardware. This is really a good example of how LGU supports the program,” Bersales said. (“Only four percent of the barangays in the Philippines have RBIM so Bais City is unique because it is an example of a city that provided 100 percent infra, hardware, and system to the barangays. In some areas, only one or two villages have RBIM but the city government did not provide them with hardware. This is really a good example of how the LGU supports the program.”)
Bersales also lauded the LGU for integrating Gender and Development (GAD) components in the registry system, as this will be advantageous for GAD initiatives of the city that would need a baseline data.
Torres said the city government used P12 million from its GAD funds in the development of the BAIS RBIM.
However, Bersales clarified that RBIM is an advocacy program of the CPD and does not replace or compete with the Community-Based Monitoring System (BCMS) implemented by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
“The CBMS is actually mandated by law. RBIM is meant to be real-time. If may bagong inhabitant or resident sa barangay magpa-register sila sa barangay secretary. Ang CBMS will be done every three years. Ang purpose ng RBIM is to support the Records of Barangay Inhabitants (RBI) of the DILG and to augment the CBMs during the years na walang CBMs,” Bersales said. (“RBIM is meant to be real-time. If there are new inhabitants or residents in the barangay, they have to register with the secretary. The CBMS will be done every three years. The purpose of the RBIM is to support the Records of Barangay Inhabitants of the DILG and to augment the years where there are no CBMs.”)
She added that the RBIM aims to determine the residents of the barangay who are in need of services, profile of inhabitants, and monitor the migration of individuals in each village. | NWI
