A Shift to the Online World
Sam Joshua C. Bautista
We are used to the general services mostly done by government offices -– issuing documents, providing certifications, addressing queries, processing papers, filing reports, and others. We forget to expect the unexpected until a pandemic occurred recently this year. Will it affect the delivery of services?
The Department of Education (DepEd) Angeles City's administrators and staff envisioned the institution "continuously improving itself to better serve its stakeholders." That only means that dedication is its harness amidst pandemic.
Months beforehand, the national government ordered community quarantine due to the Coronavirus pandemic. This happening has caused several offices to be closed. Now that there is a transition to people's movement, the DepEd Angeles City once again opened its door to meet numerous clients' needs. Following the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) protocol to minimize physical transactions, the DepEd Angeles City, precisely the Human Resource (HR) Unit, adapt to some modifications as safety measures.
Social media captures many local and international users. It connects millions of people around the world and makes most of the people within reach. In other words, communication is now more accessible. The most available social media these days is none other than Facebook. From an entirely face to face service delivery, the said office shifts to online to stop the spread of the Covid-19 virus. People can now transact to the Facebook page, and state queries responded by the HR Unit done through private messaging. They can also disseminate information through social media like job vacancies, document processes, webinars, and programs virtually. It saves time and minimizes physical appearance.
Aside from the frequently heard social media, applications are also a reliable medium of contact. An online application is a software program that runs on the web, accessed by the user using an internet connection to acquire data and services. HR Unit led the processing of requests online in an application within the Department. Should the client need to transact personally, booking an appointment online is possible just by accessing the online application.
The DepEd Angeles City itself built a website to provide files readily available and downloadable to the clients. These files include memoranda, advisories, procurement, forms, and electronic tools.
Responsive and excellent services are the top priorities of the Department. What is more challenging is offering these with the same quality and efficiency, in the middle of this pandemic, considering the observance of health and safety precautions.
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The author is Administrative Assistant I at Division of Angeles City