TARLAC CITY, Philippines – Future transactions in this city will soon be conducted online using a web portal and mobile telephone applications, under an initiative to become Central Luzon’s first “smart city.”
Given the demands for automation and cashless transactions because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Tarlac has partnered with private developer Information Technology Business Solutions Corp. (ITBS) to develop the “Angel Portal Ecosystem Project” in order to improve the delivery of services in a shorter time and without generating huge crowds.
The program employs a “citizen registration application system,” which would become the city database. It would also provide residents with a medical self-assessment and reporting tool.
The initiative will provide access to health records and the civil registry, help manage waste, monitor disasters and other emergencies, and regulate traffic.
Online transactions for business permit applications, tax payments, and government clearances will be facilitated through a payment portal.
The initiative could also help develop a “smart campus” that would facilitate distance learning, said Rolly Malig, ITBS business development, and marketing consultant.
Malig said the company is providing the system for free to help Tarlac fight COVID-19.