Borongan City Mayor Jose Ivan Dayan Agda. (File photo courtesy of Borongan City Information Office)
TACLOBAN CITY - Borongan City, the capital of Eastern Samar province, is eyeing to be recognized as the first smart city in Eastern Visayas region.
This after the conduct of Smart City assessment and roadmap formulation by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), in collaboration with Isabela State University (ISU) - Cauayan Campus and local government unit of Cauayan City last May 10-12, the city government announced on Monday.
The three-day event aimed at harnessing smart and sustainable technologies and practices in the country and was spearheaded by Borongan City Mayor Jose Ivan Dayan Agda and DOST Eastern Visayas regional director Ernesto Granada.
The event seeks to address science and technology challenges in the city, improve the quality of life, and create new opportunities for economic development towards smart and sustainable development.
“The implementation of this project aims to promote good governance and transparency. Technology adaptation will make public service more efficient and will make civil servants more accountable to the people they serve,” Agda said in a statement.
The evaluation team helped develop Borongan City's Smart City Roadmap, which was supported by the city's departments and their strategic goals and mandates.
The department heads created an initial plan and roadmap to address current and future challenges in healthcare, education, infrastructure, security, and agriculture.
Agda underscored the significance of the agriculture sector in the city and how the Smart City initiative could help it grow and develop.
He also cited the local Dukwag Agriculture Mapping Project, a unique aspect of the Smart City initiative that aims to create a comprehensive database of the city's agricultural resources, including land use and soil analysis, to help farmers make informed decisions and improve their yields.
Aside from DOST, the Department of Information and Communication Technology also vowed to support the initiative in terms of infrastructure, equipment, and training for digital literacy and communications.
Agda assigned city information officer Rupert Ambil II to chair the smart city campaign.
The project will involve synergizing the efforts of various stakeholders, including national agencies, city departments, non-government organizations, civil society organizations, and the private sector.
Ambil’s role will be to lead the project, ensuring effective coordination and maximum resource utilization among the stakeholders.
Borongan City is the first local government in Eastern Visayas to take on the smart city development goal. (PNA)
