MEMBERS of the Leyte Provincial Board (PB) would no longer sift through their thick documents every time they would attend their regular or special sessions, as Vice Governor Carlo Loreto announced they would go paperless.
“The stack of documents would be gone as we would go paperless,” said Loreto, adding: “Going paperless has been approved in principle by Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla. He was supportive of the plan to hold paperless sessions.”
The system would require the installation of laptop computers in the session hall, one each for the 14 members of the Provincial Board, including the presiding officer, he said.
“These computers would be run by a customized user-friendly program that allows the board members to immediately access everything they need during sessions,” Loreto added.
The usual documents that every member of the PB would sift through during sessions include the agenda, transcripts of minutes of the past sessions, committee hearings and committee reports, draft resolutions, draft ordinances, communications, memorandum, informative materials and other documents.
“All these would be soon become electronic files for easy access of every board member, including myself. All we have to do is open our computers or tablets,” Loreto said.
Through an LCD projector, electronic copies of documents being taken up during sessions may be beamed to an interactive while board set up inside the session hall for the public and the media to see.
“Going paperless also means that board members can submit proposed resolutions and ordinances, communicate with one another through instant messaging, and access the Internet,” Loreto said.
He said it is appropriate to make use of the available technologies so as to save time and resources.
“About five reams of copy paper every week are used to reproduce copies of agenda and other attachments. The reproduction also entails other costs for power, ink and the like,” Loreto said.
He added that with paperless sessions, the legislative department is in effect helping in the waste reduction and saving the environment. “Every 3,000 sheets of copy paper is equivalent to a tree converted into paper. So that’s a lot of saving our environment.”
Other notable advantages include the faster and more efficient session process, faster retrieval of documents and easier data management, he said. (Leyte Samar Daily Express)