Press Release
Wednesday, February 26, 2003

Twenty-one new e-barangays
Bridging the digital divide in Escalante

Escalante City - Twenty-one barangays in Escalante City, Negros Occidental are set to go online this Friday in time for the city's 2nd Charter Day Anniversary. This will set a record for Escalante as the first Philippine city to virtually connect all its barangays. Thanks to the collective efforts of the Central Visayas Information Sharing Network (CVISNet), Barangay.Net Cebu Alliance, Inc, and the Department of Science and Technology Region 7.

Seeing the benefits of the e-Barangay Project in Cebu City, the City Government of Escalante contracted Barangay.Net Cebu Alliance, with CVISNet as the technical arm, to wire all its 21 barangays. Aside from enhancing the city's revenue-generating capabilities, the project also aims to promote the tourism and investment opportunities of Escalante through the Internet. It will also connect residents to the information superhighway, and enable them to communicate with friends and relatives all over the world.

CVISNet Executive Director Franco Belleza said that the City Government of Escalante, under the leadership of Mayor Santiago Barcelona Jr., is investing heavily in this project because it believes in the power of information and the advantages it would give its constituents. The City Government is allocating over P2 million for the development of its website, e-barangay portal, online barangay applications, and the acquisition of hardware.

"Once connected, information sharing can be a lot smoother between city hall, barangay officials, barangay residents, and other government agencies, " Belleza said.

It will also save people living in remote barangays the long trip to city hall by making available to them online government systems like the online real property tax information system, online barangay clearance system, among others, Belleza said.

The e-Barangay project was launched in Cebu City last November 2002 with eight (8) pilot barangays. It is envisioned to bring ICT and related services to the level of the masses by giving them access to relevant information-such as on education, agriculture, health and others--that is expected to stimulate business growth.

Belleza said that they will be setting up viable and cost effective ICT facilities called telecenters in each of Escalante's barangays. Each barangay telecenter will be equipped with a computer with an Internet connection, and a telephone where residents can also make local or long distance calls.

The barangays can start earning revenue once the residents make use of the telecenters. Local farmers and entrepreneurs, especially, will have a wider market reach for their products and services once they tap the Internet, Belleza added.