Argao’s IT-in-charge
What does the town of Argao get for one peso a year?
It pays for the services of a man responsible for the town’s new technology innovations–IT consultant Querubin Momongan.
Momongan is responsible for putting into place a proposal for a wireless fidelity (wi-fi) zone at the town square.
The full computerization of business processes in the municipal hall was implemented under his guidance and expertise.
Argao’s IT-in-charge also leads an ambitious undertaking to decentralize treasury operations to the barangays and provide Internet access to all schools, homes, and villages through the local broadband network (LBN) project.
Although he retired in 2003 after spending almost 24 years as a bank consultant abroad, Momongan said he came out of retirement last year when he was asked to help by Mayor Edsel Galeos, a close personal friend.
“He (mayor) is a very good friend of mine. He asked me to help so I helped,” he said.
Momongan explained he is trying to duplicate in Argao what he has learned abroad, given the budget constraints and other limitations of a third-class town.
“We are 15-20 years behind technology advancements” of a first world country like the United States, he added.
He said though that once the town implements its LBN project, it would be at par with other technology-savvy nations. That’s not bad for an idea that first cropped up over a bottle of wine, he added.
Momongan attributes to the mayor improvements seen in the past 10 months that have not been witnessed in the town for so many years.
“This is all because of him (mayor). He is strong-willed, goal-driven, charismatic, approachable. Wala siya’y minus (He has no bad trait),” Momongan said, by way of explaining his desire to continually introduce improvements to the town using new technology, for a salary of only one peso a year.
I would like to congratulate brod ben momongan on his accomlpishments there, his Betan brothers here in the US send there warmest regards to him and his wife,our sorority sister and the family.
Franklin Gabriel
USC Beta Sigma Fraternity
New Jersey,USA
to all who work directly or inderectly for the advancement of this town, hats off to you and your undying dedication that one day this courageous act will spark and produce leaders with will and courage to stand for the people,with interest that runs deep through the masses and not leaders with interest that runs deep down their own pockets…keep up the great work.
JASON ALLAWAN
BAHA BAHA, ARGAO
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
Congratulations to Querubin for helping Argao. He is carrying on the tradition his late father, our elementary school principal, was doing in education…preparing our minds so we can contribute to the betterment of our country.
To Querubin:
“Congratulations Querubin! Gikan ni sa imong classmate bay nga kuyog nimo nga naglingkod sa hagdan sa Central School ug imong gi-istoryahan ngano nga nahulog ka sa caimito ug ngano nga naka plaster cast ang imong kamot.”
Querubin, if your yacht is in Argao pier, I hope you will allow us to dive from it like what we did with the banca of Pasyo..
wow.. maayo pa ang Argao naa na free wi-fi…
salamat kay sir querubin for sharing his knowledge..
more power.. time will come, his effort will be recognized and rewarded as one of IT renovators here in Cebu province.
Hats off to you sir, you’re not only helping Argao but also our little town of Boljoon, Cebu.
On behalf of all Boljoanon’s I want to say THANK YOU, and also to Mayor Edsel!!!
Thank you for helping out Argao! I’m looking forward to hooking up on the town’s free WiFi soon.
Oona Oyangoren Chinen
Looc, Argao, Cebu
Fremont, California
Kudos to all behind Argao IT advancement!
Proud to be Argawanon…
Evan Nazareno
St. Louis, Missouri, USA
I hope you can visit the City of Cavite and proposed to our City Mayor what you did in Argao and make our Plaza (Samonte Park) at WIFI zone. Since Cavite City is the a “Historic City of 3-Bays” this will attract more tourist.
WOW! thanks to the man driving argao to a new frontier. kol Querubin, ur the man! and to all argawanons onward to IT innovations.
were proud 2 b argawanons
see u soon sa bangag
HE IS THE BEST MAYOR! GOOD JOB AND KEEP IT UP!…ASINSO ARGAO…
I am thinking of buying a property in Argao, im not really from this place but my wife is. Glad to hear that you have a wifi zone area, now internet is just fingertip away. As a computer instructo here in Saudi Arabia I am really excited to start my own small training center somewhere in town. Its always been my dream to teach and offer a very low price learning institution. By the way my wife is from Usmad near spillway.
Good luck and more power to Argawanons.
WHAT A GOOD PLACE TO LIVE, IM PROUD TO OUR MAYOR FOR THE JOB WELL DONE,MAKING ARGAO ONE OF THE BEST IN CEBU SOUTH
FROM TEXAS,U.S.A
7/16/2008.
Argao has finally chosen a leader with a vision and heart in Mayor Edsel. Along with you Ben, we are sure a lot more Argawanons like us will be inspired to lend a helping hand. With the improvements of the place, we look forward to every visit. Now we are proud to invite our friends to come and check out the on-going progress.. keep up the good work… we are behind you guys 101%!!!!!!
Amazing things happen in argao this year or more esp,, that we have a great great mayor EDSEL GALEOS who authorised MR BEN MOMONGAN to do what has to be done in argao onwards to IT innovation. 1 salute you sirs!EDSEL @ MOMONGAN @ IT STUFF . To the mayor.. please keep kicking those bad assess inside and outside the municipality.. We are happy for it because we can see the big changes…DONT let them fail you as you wont allow yourself to fail..
Now i consider myself as a good voter because i choose a good leader..more power argao!!!!
Congratulations! Im very proud to be Argawanons! I can now tell my friends to open the site and invite them to visit Argao. I salute the good governance on Argao.
Advance Happy Fiesta! Mabuhay Ka Argao!!
Taoyuan, Taiwan
To our Honorable Mayor and Ben,
I hope you will continue your great effort to help our town and put its name in the tourism industry worldwide.
God bless you all!
All the best,
Jun Ybanez of Canbanua, Argao, Cebu
Vietnam
thAnk u kaau sir edsel & sir Q, for the progress of municipality of argao especially in I.T. Infrastructure and sa mga ojt sa it department!!!!!!!!!
This is amazing! we from Cebuano and Friends society in Calgary, Alberta whose members are true bloodied cebuanos, some are from Argao - we are very proud of this IT advancement in Argao, Cebu… wala ni diri sa Calgary, Canada.
Congratulations!
As a 40-something argawanon who is working somewhere else and goes home to argao every now and then because there simply is no place like home, i am amazed at how the town has grown/improved/progressed in such a short time. I attribute all these to the leadership of Mayor Galeos, who believes in the power of collective efforts of all argawanons. I particularly love the text on the billboards that one would see in all places. Text like “Lihok argao. Kung dili karon kanus-a man?…”, “If you are not part of the cure, then you are part of the problem”, etc. These could really touch of hearts of everyone of us argawanons and move us to doing our part for our dear argao.
The free wifi access in the vicinity of the town hall is just one of the many reasons that would make us conclude that Mayor Galeos is what argao needs all this time. The computerization of the town hall’s processes is another big step towards the argao that we all dream of. I am in the IT field and I could say the efforts and generosity of Mr. Querubin is something worth emulating.
Mayor Edsel, if this merits your attention, please sir take a look at the prices of commodities, particularly that of fish. From a consumer’s point of view, i could say that these prices started to rise unreasonably when the number of foreign nationals residing in
argao increased. The fish vendors all want to score big in closing a sale with these foreigners. This is detrimental to small consumers. Some vendors in the market would refuse to sell their fish (the big variety) in slices. This means, small consumers lose their chance of buying small slices of this nutritious and delicious fish. The supply of fish from argao waters is i think close to zero now, due to the destruction of the coral reefs brought about by the “baling”, so maybe you could open a fish port or embark in any program related to this. Argao would earn from the taxes and argawanons would enjoy better/competitive prices of fish.
Why am i talking about fish when this is supposedly a response to the IT initiatives of argao. sorry. hehehehe, nadala sa gibati. congratulations Mayor Galeos and Mr. Querubin.
More power!