The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
It was another busy but rewarding week for the National Commission of Senior Citizens (NCSC).
On Tuesday, NCSC took part in the Inter-Government Agency MOU Ceremonial Signing for E-Governance with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and other partner agencies for E-Governance at the Manila Marriott Hotel Pasay City.
NCSC Chairman Franklin Quijano signed the Memorandum of Understanding for NCSC along with 11 other government agencies for E-Governance – an initiative to accelerate free connectivity in areas which private telcos identified as commercially unviable.
Quijano, in his speech, thanked the DICT for inviting the NCSC to be part of a very technologically sound undertaking that would hasten and streamline all government transactions on a fast, digitalized operations not to mention the positive effects that it would bring to the economy and environment.
DICT Secretary Ivan John Uy said that the DICT envisions a fully digitalized government where people can easily access government services at their fingertips.
Under his scheme, a single and extensive e-commerce portal for Micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) will be deployed with the help of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
DICT Undersecretary for E-Government David Almirol, Jr. earlier made a lengthy presentation of E-Government initiatives to enlighten their partners of its plans and objectives.
Aside from NCSC, the ceremonial MOU signing ceremony include partner gov’t agencies – the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Transportation, Bureau of Internal Revenue and Bureau of Treasury.
Also in the loop for the 3rd batch of DICT partner agencies were the Philippine Commission on Women, Council for the Welfare of Children, Anti-Red Tape Authority, National Printing Office, Maritime Industry Authority and Credit Information Corporation, among others
On Wednesday, NCSC Comms. Rainier Cruz and Reymar Mansilungan flew from Manila to Palawan for a two-day marathon meeting with leaders of senior citizen groups of Puerto Princesa and some PSWDO and LGU officials including a courtesy call to Palawan Gov. Dennis Socrates
The following day, the two commissioners and staff met with the elderly groups and El Nido Vice Mayor Luningning Batoy, Senior Citizen Presidents of 22 Barangays in El Nido and Prov. Admin Raffy Cabate.
It was a rare opportunity for both the NCSC, LGU officials and leaders of senior citizen groups to meet in this paradise-like tourist destination of Palawan province.
Overall, it was a highly successful and fun event as the NCSC staff still had the time and chance to visit a few breath-taking islands of Palawan including the world famous El Nido underwater cave. (Photos by Adhel Triumfante, Kyla Morales and Keanne Cruz)
