NAGA CITY COUNCIL GOES PAPERLESS

The City Government wants to save on paper, which is why it is shifting to the e-archiving system; it is the first local government unit in Cebu to go paperless

Legislators of the City of Naga will no longer depend on paper during their regular weekly sessions.

This, after the Sangguniang Panglunsod (SP) of the City of Naga implemented a “paperless system” and will now depend on digital means during sessions.

Garry Cabotaje, the SP Secretary of the City of Naga, said the council started going digital during its regular session last Dec. 12.

The system, which cost the city around P2 million to implement, was developed by Devise Software Designs and Solutions, which is based in Iloilo City.

Cabotaje said that due to the paperless system, the City Council is expected to reduce its paper use by 85 percent.

“We observed that using paper is very wasteful especially if we use it during sessions. Every councilor has to be furnished with paper copies of the order of business, minutes of the current and previous sessions, and attachments of approved resolutions and ordinances. With the paperless system, the Sanggunian is expected to save much when it comes to its budget for paper,” Cabotaje said in Cebuano.

The idea to go paperless, said Cabotaje, was first raised by Vice

Mayor Othello “Boy” Chiong when he started his term as vice mayor in 2016.

All documents needed for the Council’s regular sessions will undergo electronic codification.

Chiong and the 12 councilors can easily browse through the agenda, ordinances, resolutions, committee reports and other documents through their flipand-fold touchscreen laptops.

The councilors can also view other references such as existing circulars, executive issuances, opinions, internal rules and other documents provided by various agencies such as the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Commission on Audit, and the Department of Budget and Management, among others.

The paperless system also features a chatroom, crawlers and notebook features.