PROJECT LUNGSOD. Project LUNGSOD trains selected employees of the Iloilo City Hall on basic geographic information systems and the use of the city command and city connect platforms as part of training under the Smart City Project on April 25-29. Iloilo City which sits as chair of the Metro Iloilo Guimaras Economic Development Council (MIGEDC) is pushing to transform the council into a "Smart Metro". (Photo courtesy of DOST PCIEERD FB page)
ILOILO CITY – The Metro Iloilo Guimaras Economic Development Council (MIGEDC) is gearing to be transformed into a “Smart Metro” under the Project LUNGSOD (A Link-Up of Geomatics and Social Science Research for the Development of Smart Cities).
LUNGSOD is part of the Smart City projects funded by the Department of Science and Technology –Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development (DOST-PCIEERD).
“This is very beneficial because digitization and technology is inevitable; we are already going in that direction. If they won’t use technology in their processes, then they will be left behind,” said Velma Jane Lao, executive director of the MIGEDC, in an interview on Friday.
MIGEDC is an inter-local government unit (LGU) alliance created by virtue of Presidential Executive Order No. 559 series of 2006 composed of Iloilo City; municipalities of Pavia, Oton, Leganes, Santa Barbara, Cabatuan and San Miguel in Iloilo province and Guimaras.
It was created to formulate, coordinate and monitor programs, projects, and activities for the acceleration of economic growth and development for its LGU members.
Lao said that Iloilo City is already a beneficiary of the Project LUNGSOD, and Mayor Jerry P. Treñas, who sits as chairperson of the council, would like to replicate the interventions in the city to MIGEDC members.
The interventions in the city are more on geo-spatial mapping and the setting up of an application that contains the marketplace for Ilonggo products, tourism map, e-governance, and disaster risk reduction and management, among others.
The council has funding support of PHP700,000 but they will continue to seek more, Lao said.
“So the expansion with MIGEDC will include capacity development on geographic information system (GIS) where local governments will be trained on information system in the spatial aspect,” she added.
The Smart City project will give LGUs a chance to communicate with their constituents through the application.
It will also be useful for visitors, investors, and residents, who would like to give feedback to their LGUs. (PNA)
