DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 20 Feb) – The Presidential Communications and Operations Office (PCOO) launched on Tuesday the Du30 mobile application to provide a communication channel between government and the people and give updates on President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.
During the second day of the National Information Convention 2018 at the SMX Convention Center Davao, PCOO Secretary Martin Andanar said the app gives mobile users straight access to the latest news about the government and the President.
“We have to make the people well-informed about the government. This way, we offer easy access to government, whenever and wherever they may be, anytime and anywhere. PCOO is going along the trend of times, as we explore new media platforms, one of which is mobile technology,” Andanar told 1,600 attendees to the NIC 2018.
PCOO Secretary Martin Andanar. MindaNews file photo by ANTONIO L. COLINA IV
Citing leading digital marketing data firm, We Are Social, Andanar said there are 62 million active mobile users today, more than half of the country’s 103.3 million population.
The Du30 app is “the PCOO’s official mobile app and main online link to Filipino communities.
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It claims to offer a fast and intuitive interface for viewing relevant social media feeds, participate in surveys and polls, post comments, and get instant access to personal messages from the President.
The Du30 app will soon roll out a reporting tool feature that serves as a “call-to-action” hotline for reporting crimes, corruption, frontline services that need fixing, and situations that need to be commended.
The mobile app, which runs on both iOS and Android, opens to an interface linked with the PCOO’s different social media accounts – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram – and Youtube where they post updates about the latest news and activities of the President.
It is also linked with state-owned media outlets such as the Philippine News Agency, People’s Television, DZRB Radyo Pipinas, DWB3 104.3 FM, and Radio Television Malacañang, which broadcast the President’s speeches and report on government programs.
Du30 developer Paolo Saycon, chief executive officer of the IBayad Online Ventures, Inc.
, said it took them one year to develop the mobile app that aims to strengthen and improve government communications.
“It is important to share and spread true and accurate information, especially today where the influence of information and social media is visible,” he said in Filipino.
He said they designed the mobile app in such a way that netizens can share their ideas and comments on current issues and interact with other community members.
Saycon added a reporting tool will be added to its version 2, which would encourage mobile app users to become a “walking CCTV” as they will be allowed to report crimes and emergency situations or send complaints directly to government agencies.
The reporting tool would be made available as soon as government has put in place the mechanism to respond to the reports.
“The government wanted to make sure support infrastructure to respond to the reports,” he said.
Saycon added the app’s reporting tool will automatically open the camera and activate the global positioning system to send a real-time report and, at the same time, prevent pranks. (Antonio L. Colina IV/MindaNews)
