GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews / 20 July) – Residents here and even abroad may now witness the Sangguniang Panlungsod’s regular session every Tuesday without physically going to its session hall.
The city council formally launched during its inaugural session on Tuesday the livestreaming of its sessions via Internet through its website, www.spgensantos.ph.
Vice Mayor Shirlyn Banas-Nograles said the move is part of their continuing efforts to promote transparency in all services, transactions, activities and other related functions of the city council.
Through the livestreaming of their sessions, she said local residents would be aware and properly updated of the happenings at the council, especially in the deliberation and passage of key local legislations.
“This is a venue for participation for our constituents in line with our legislative work,” she said.
Nograles assured that the city council will “always be open for suggestions” in terms of the improvement of its service delivery and in the accomplishment of its mandates.
The livestreaming of the council’s sessions is an offshoot of the ongoing upgrading of the legislative body’s computer systems and other operational aspects.
It earlier embarked on a P2.9-million capability-enhancement program that covers the installation of high-definition or HD closed-circuit television or CCTV cameras in parts of the SP building and a new local area network (LAN).
Under the program, which is dubbed CCTV-LAN system, some 30 HD or high definition CCTV cameras were initially installed in strategic spots within the SP building.
Jonathan Susvilla, a staff member of the Vice Mayor’s office, said three HD cameras were installed at the SP session hall to facilitate the livestreaming.
He said the installation of the council’s new LAN system, which will feature a centralized server for all computers within its offices, is presently ongoing.
“All computers within the SP will be interconnected and will have file-sharing and network printing capabilities,” he said.
Susvilla said the SP’s ongoing capability upgrading was patterned after the improvements earlier implemented by the Quezon City council.
He said it addressed the gaps cited by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) when the city council underwent assessment for the 2015 Local Legislative Awards.
DILG Region 12 endorsed the council to the national search last year after topping the regional evaluation in the highly urbanized city/independent component city category. (MindaNews)
