Baguio creates ICT body for smart city

By Gaby B. Keith

BAGUIO CITY -- Mayor Benjamin Magalong ratified City Ordinance 72, Series of 2022, on December 12 last year, creating the Baguio City Information and Communications Technology Council (BCICTC), defining its functions, and providing funds thereof.
    It is through the BCICTC that the local government strives to transform the Summer Capital into a smart, livable, and resilient highly urbanized city, the ordinance stated.
    "Good governance can be attained when present and future local leaders are highly committed to introducing new ways and measures enabled by technology. Information and Communications Technology (ICT) driven processes and structures paired with innovative leadership are proven means to increase citizens' awareness and active participation resulting in winning back the trust of people towards the government," it added.
    The ordinance stressed that a digital advancement program is a must for every government like the city government of Baguio to be more responsive to the present and future needs of its constituents as it enhances the efficiency and effectiveness of service delivery in the public sector.
    "Socioeconomic advancement can be further and sustainably attained through the power of digital governance," the ordinance said.
    It claimed that accelerating the collective growth of the city can be more feasible when it is armed with responsive digital policies in response to the challenges of the ICT age.