The Philippine Star

Customs taps PLDT for Google work app

- By Louela D. Desiderio

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has partnered with a unit of Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) to improve its internal collaborat­ion and informatio­n disseminat­ion.

In a statement, IP Converge Data Services Inc. (IPC) said it is providing the Google Apps for Work to the BOC.

Through the service, Google sites would be used to create an internal website for updates and new informatio­n accessible only to authorized personnel of the BOC.

The BOC can likewise use other features such as Google Drive to store documents such as memos and announceme­nts that its employees can access anytime on any device.

Che Lazaro, IPC director of sales for Google for Work, said the solutions would allow the BOC’s employees to enhance their collaborat­ion.

“Google Apps for Work allows real-time collaborat­ion, enabling multiple users to work on a single document at the same time. This will eliminate multiple versions of one document, improve tracking and accountabi­lity, as well as (cut) down time in finalizing reports,” she said.

With real- time collabora- tion, the employees can work together on the same document and see the same informatio­n anytime on any device thus removing second-guessing and enabling faster response, said Angelica Sarmiento, officer-incharge of BOC’s Management Informatio­n Systems and Technology Group.

The solutions likewise make it possible for all employees of BOC to have more secure and reliable email communicat­ion when using the bureau’s official business email platform.

The use of Google Apps for Work is in line with the BOC’s thrust to improve operations.

“These upgrades give the Customs employees a more reliable and secure platform that closely meet global standards. The improved informatio­n sharing and communicat­ion capabiliti­es will result to more efficient services to the public,” Sarmiento said.

IPC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of PLDT’s informatio­n and communicat­ions technology arm ePLDT, Inc.

The company provides local and regional enterprise­s with managed data services and business solutions that conform to internatio­nal standards to allow them to focus on their core objectives.

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