MANILA, Philippines – Soon, residents in select barangays in Quezon City would be able to apply for a clearance online. They could also access information on the area in which they live through the web.

The city government Monday said that 12 barangays would be hooked up to the Internet to encourage local officials to be more transparent in their dealings.

“We hope this will be an effective tool in transparency,” Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said.

The cost of installing an Internet connection in the 12 barangay halls, however, would come out of the community’s budget, barangay operations center chief Donato Matias said.

Under the project, the barangays would be encouraged to set up their own websites, which would contain information about the community.

The 12 barangays which would initially take part in the project were Apolonio Samson, Bagumbayan, Socorro, Ugong Norte, Blue Ridge A, South Triangle, Loyola Heights, Matandang Balara, Bagong Pag-asa, Pasong Putik Proper, Greater Lagro and Doña Imelda.