Catigbian: first LGU to fully

adopt integrated eLGU app

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol (PIA)—Catigbian prides itself as the first among Bohol local government units (LGUS) to completely enrol in the government’s eGovPh and formalized its use of the integrated e-Local Government Unit (e-LGU) system.

This allows the town residents with LGU transactions to simply go online and transact digitally via the eLGU app which integrates all its local transactions like business applications, community tax applications, local registry services, real property tax and similar local tax transactions and even the reporting of local concerns, Department of Information, Communications and Technology (DICT) Bohol chief Victor Magallanes confirmed.

Magallanes also said that, while some Bohol LGUs have been using some of the earlier e-LGU featured services, it is still Catigbian, which has now formally made all the DICT-developed app available for its residents.

Stepping boldly into the government’s digitalization initiative with the help of the DICT, Catigbian, under Mayor Benjie Oliva and the Sangguniang Bayan under Vice Mayor Esteban Angilan, made history for the town, which has also adopted the Paleng-QR Plus, in their local financial transactions.

Before, residents doing local transactions would have to physically visit offices, spending fares, precious time and take their turns in a queue sometimes, hand-carrying documents that sometimes get misplaced, crumpled or stained by handling, SB secretary Ardissa Estavilla shared.

Now, Catigbian residents do not have to do that.

By integrating all of these under the Catigbian eLGU app, Mayor Oliva believes it facilitates much faster transactions, reduces unnecessary office visits, and cuts repetitive paperwork.

It can also reduce transportation costs, printing and other expenses associated with government transactions, while it can improve government efficiency with the connectivity with other participating agencies and LGUs through the digitally linked services.

This also makes it easier for the public to access the services online, as residents who live far from government offices can simply initiate the transaction from their homes of business bases.

Mayor Oliva said the move, although it may be hard for starters, is in line with Republic Act No. 11032, or the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018.

It supports the streamlining and improvement of government services, and the eLGU system has been developed in line with this objective.

And because the Catigbian e-LGU app was launched and integrated with Paleng-QR Ph, even payments system for local taxes and other regulatory fees can now be cashless.

How does this work for Catigbian residents?

With a downloaded official eGovPH Super app from google play or Apple App Store, one verifies his profile in the app, and then he can start accessing the eLGU services module.

He then needs to select Municipality of Catigbian and navigate to the transaction one wants to complete. (PIAbohol)

CEDULA IN A PINDOT. Catigbian has again led Bohol LGUS by pioneering the full use of the DICT-developed integrated eLGU app, which allows its residents to transact local services online, making for a faster, more accessible, inclusive and efficient service. Here, Mayor Oliva, with DICT Bohol head Magallanes and local officials witness the launching ceremony. (PIAbohol)

Prices in transport drives

headline inflation to 8.4%

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol (PIA)— Carried on by the faster year-on-year increase in the transport index which sustained its double digit climb to a nasty 19.9 percent in September as against the 18.0 percent in August this year, plus a confluence of faster inflation rates in prices of basic commodities, Bohol’s over-all inflation accelerated to 8.4 percent from 7.9 percent in August.

Based on the report from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) that held a live-streamed data presentation from a regional management conference in Leyte, Bohol’s September inflation rate is 1.2 percent higher than the national inflation and 0.1 percent over the regional inflation data.

According to PSA Bohol chief supervising statistician Jessamyne Anne Alcazaren, price indices from Transport sector continued its relentless torque dragging with its indices in housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels, which also trained an increase from 5.1 percent in August to 5.8 in September.

In September alone, the series of three consecutive fuel price increases bringing gasoline to a P15.17 price leap, diesel by P18.29 and kerosene by P16.20, businesses have to effect subsequent price adjustments that could have shaken the whole value chain.

PSA, which sends price monitors to selected stores in strategic economic centers in Bohol, said they also recorded faster price movements in restaurants and accommodation services from 5.4 percent to 6.9 percent, and in the furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance from 6.3 percent rising to 7.8 percent.

A similar big leap also happened in clothing and footwear prices which has 5.0 percent to 5.8 percent and in personal care and miscellaneous goods and services at 1.9 percent from 1.7 percent, Alcazaren pointed out.

The statistics collecting body also logged the inflations in September mainly contributed by food and non alcoholic beverages with 41.8 percent share , transport with 27.1 percent share and housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels which owns the 16.6 percent share in the overall headline inflation difference.

And as Bohol traverses towards November and December, which have been tagged to as the peak months of the El Nino, which has so far damaged P190 million in crops, the province may be in for yet another rise in inflation with food getting more scarce in the drought. (PIAbohol)

NOW TIED WITH CEBU CITY. At 8.4 % headline inflation, Bohol now ties with Cebu City while Cebu Province has a 9.2% inflation. Highly Urbanized cities of Mandaue and Lapulapu keep a much lower inflation at 6.8 and 5.0 percent respectively, according to the PSA. (PIABohol)