IN A bid to cope up with the advent of the internet and social media, the Municipal Council of La Trinidad has introduced three new tools of its website during its regular council session on Tuesday, June 27.
The three tools were made in accordance to the La Trinidad Municipal Council legislative tracking and e-data storage ordinance establishing a computerized records data bank-storage and an internet-based public information system that will allow access and ability to track the legislative undertakings of the council.
This will pave way in increasing the technical support capability of the council and enhancing transparency for the easy access of files by citizens.
The first tool, is the website at www.sangguniangbayan_latrinidadbenguet.com improved by the Municipal Council Information Technology specialist Bernabe Saingan said the website initially contained information and new navigation features including legislative matters, committees of the council among others.
The legislative matters navigation page contains archives like ordinances and resolutions from 2000 up to 2016, a quick view of the statistics of accomplishment reports from 2015 to May 2017, and a FAQ page with basic information regarding what the legislative body does.
The standing committees’ navigation page shows the chairperson and members of these committees, while other navigation page contains the list of Municipal Council members, SB staff, SB activities, and village profiles.
Other features includes documents from public hearings, agendas of council sessions, committee reports, communications, and minutes of the previous council session that are available to view and to download online.
Agendas for upcoming council sessions will be made available online every Monday and updates from the council sessions held on Tuesdays will be uploaded within the same day.
Specific ordinances and resolutions from previous years may also be requested online. During the presentation of the e-Data tools in the council session, Councilor Guiller Galwan suggested that a log-in or register feature be introduced in the website in order to keep track of what is downloaded from the site and who downloads the files.
Saingan said the feature will possibly be added within the week.
The Legislative Record Tracking Database, which contains features that allow the addition, removal, and update of records from the Municipal Council and a search engine that allows filtering and advanced searches of documents such as legislative actions and resolution and ordinances.
Municipal Council documents will be compiled in this database and may be accessed offline by computers programmed with the database software.
Saingan added a kiosk for the access of the database within the municipal hall complex is being planned in order to allow citizens to use the database.
The e-Files Database meanwhile contains scanned documents like letters of requests, resolutions, and ordinances. This, however, is accessible only to the Municipal Council staff and members whose computers are connected to the system network. Requested copies of resolutions and ordinances from the website will be retrieved from this database.
The Municipal Council website was first launched in December 2015. (Jenny Alexis Caburian/UP Baguio intern)