Arroyo approves P1-billion e-Government fund

PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has approved the release of the 1-billion-peso e-Government Fund that will be used to pursue IT-related government projects.

The e-Government Fund was part of the General Appropriations Act for 2005, which was earlier approved by the Senate three weeks ago. The fund's creation was recommended by the Department of Budget and Management.

Senator Manuel Roxas III initially wanted to fine-tune the e-Government Fund which he insisted should go directly to recipient institutions and should not be managed by the Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT).

National Computer Center (NCC) Director General and CICT Commissioner Tim Diaz de Rivera told reporters that the CICT identified five government projects that will be the main recipients of the 1-billion-peso budget. He said the CICT presented these projects as an assurance to Senator Roxas that the e-Government Fund would be properly allocated to the recipient agencies.

He noted that one of the provisions in their proposal to Senator Roxas includes equal distribution of 200 million pesos to each of the government IT projects.

The projects include the CICT's Community e-Centers; the Business Name Registration System of the Department of Trade and Industry; two projects of the Department of Interior and Local Government, the local government information portal and the public safety information portal.

The fifth project is what Diaz De Rivera calls the "harmonization of government ID numbers," similar to but not as wide-scale as the Malacañng proposed national ID system.

Diaz de Rivera said the CICT would form an oversight committee to determine how the amount would be disbursed to the recipient agencies.

NCC Directors Tess Roberto and Lorna Sales will head the oversight committee and the project management group to ensure that government IT projects would properly be implemented.

He said they are still evaluating ways to disburse the money particularly since there are still other government agencies that are in need of funding for their IT projects. These agencies include the National Telecommunications Commission and the Land Transportation Franchise and Regulatory Board, Diaz de Rivera said.

The 1-billion-peso fund is a follow-up to the 4-billion-peso e-Government Fund allocation first approved by President Arroyo three years ago. Back then, it was Fortunato De la Pena who headed the oversight committee that distributed the project to more than a dozen government IT projects.

De la Pena is Undersecretary of the Department of Science and Technology and was once a director of the Information Technology and E-Commerce Council, the body that later became the CICT.

NTC BLOCKED CELLPHONES

Following is the list of NTC blocked cellphones. Olongapo-Zambales residents who wish to file an affidavit of loss with request to block cellphones may do so with the Olongapo Telecom Board. Required forms may be downloaded here:

Illegal Text
Affidavit of Ownership and Loss with Undertaking
Affidavit of Ownership with Request for Unblocking


Cellphone Technicians are advised to be on a look-out for these cellphones:

NAME OF OWNER SERIAL NUMBER CELLFONE #
Agusto M. Marita 350778307178223
Alfredo P. dela Cruz 351467109454280 9175173529
Alvin V. Cahili 351508001611638
Amela D. Buan 351528002145350 9185215032
Ana Isabel Sotejo 353794000976499 9228078863
Anabelle M. Briones 351345401448101 9272595603
Analiza M. Coricor 351485808704831
Analiza P. Concor 353758005663147 9163686785
Angelica M. Arceo 350774600805937 9215779972
Angelo 352942008901214 9215399140
Annabelle M. Briones 9104294314
Asuncion C. Lacson 350984208590084 9177390737
Aurelia G. Ebron 352519009776645 9179043788
Bernadette C. Santos 351469101019281
Bernard Valencia
Caridad G. Dabu 353378002429812 9155454393
Carmama R. De Vera 350843300982336 9197903555
Carmela Lorenzo 353385001530862 9267482852
Carmela Lorenzo 353385001632421 9287162805
Celito Cerezo 353798009495385 9162748881
Darwin V. Padilla 353383006635273 9163214435
David del Rosario II 9223282837
Deniza S. Tamayo 350808601218602
Edgardo Palmones 9184233306
Edina E. Calma 351985003590582 9162631174
Edwin Carpio 355381003127708 9223331023
Eliza S. Mangio 351546003171300
Elizabeth P. Balagtas 351102500913701 9274208028
Emelita B. 353362007812578 9164833288
Epifania Bosioco 351930008775473 9176281181
Faty Nangpi 350400001094605 9195782794
Faty Nangpi 351454309574832 9177403451
Felix Galang Jr. 9216108748
Gerlie R. Reyes 353383006510997 9223802371
German B. Kabiling 362971001006002 9175113272
Goegie S. Navaro 353777001614853 9218447988
Jaany L. Acoste 351454303373595 9204404366
Jessie L. Odero 3519280009781640 9103101306
Joana M. Puno 362518000118138 9179803674
Joanna P. Lopez 353989005887994 9103365096
John Paul Panlilio 350102300719747 9217950003
Jonard Ignacio 353766001701043 9184344253
Jose C. Fernandez 351334490968391 9214355575
Khaled M. Lugue 350887303353094 9162062660
Leonard F. Roberto 9267786024
Lionel T. Mercado 354317007499338 9266674704
Lorevi P. Capulong 350697404692773 9274194879
Lyle E. 351516009693474 9186621177
Ma. Evelyn B. Jose 352546006787960 9154608484
Ma. Josefa B. Joco 353383000344492 92041252288
Marie S. Ferrer 351532001520433 9176464318
Marigrace P. Randrup 351508003935692
Mario C. Adona 10283005730304 9204554386
Marissa C. Manipon 354319002806343 9165882551
Mark M. Wijangco 351546000174380 9176231986
Mark Ryan D. Sigua 353368001634988 9186136376
Marlon E. Galang 351467108882529 9192630802
May O. Dizon 351529002600601 9208886872
Nicola L. Amicangioli 354228001240075 9215547808
Novalyn Rodriguez 353367003364656
Oliver R. David 35193000459056 9276142154
Osman Masandue 355382000755442 9206188799
Paciolo M. Dizon 350400001192200 9178573188
Paolo S. Ocampo 350608601146288 9195580948
Rachilda Myra O. Garcia 353794002671569 9275207653
Ramil S. Alvarez 351469101043307 9273413737
Ramil S. Alvarez 352530009718529 9264546188
Ramil S. Alvarez 352805000713707 926490538
Raquel 350443103790703
Robert Abadam 353383006547155 9215504254
Rodel M. Ambrocio 350005307216445 9215771230
Rolando C. De Lara 351532004487871
Ruel T. Duirez 352535005181542 9184210512
Savarina Abigsil T. Nagpil 351102503252108 9189426270
Sevilla O. Aquino 35077460107819
Sharilyn R. Malonzo 351938003343114
Sheila Marie Manzanille 351352103005849 9182976441
Shiela Marie Manzanilla 9266796494
Susan O. Marabong 351108301311961 9205248651
Veronica S. Gangania 351469102929266 9279281542
35044410056650
35069740400090 9109583089
35308008423626 9287280158
36125400525015 9183494382
36152800159350 9188492185
36338800526253 9176666739
36379400724615 9277831823
350935405170149 9194482381
350994408837286
350998406622762 9204802061
351108301311001 9205943861
351608006135542
351928009818113
351982890988177
352523005116506 9279175901
352841001828234 9198613270
354508006986132
354513000020000 9215488328
354616000400153
360144303743738 9194119886
360991300223546 9175089709
361532004487671
448903884377297 91880667672
650998404337009 9199077228
9162052938
9195809278
9211403346
Abel Tolentino 333382003874869 9176123245
Anabel Gabriel 350144605615477 9189242721

Telecoms can expect Senate grilling over prepaid cards

TELECOMMUNICATIONS firms take the hot seat to day as the Senate looks into the legality of the “unused-value forfeiture policy.”

The Senate Committee on Public Service, chaired by Sen. Joker Arroyo, will conduct the inquiry based on the resolution filed by Sen. Manny Villar, who questions the practice of telecom companies to forfeit unused credits in prepaid cards.

Villar, president of the Nacionalista Party, stressed his point: “Forfeiting the unused value of prepaid cards of phone subscribers or users is unfair. A penalty may be imposed when credits are not used within a certain period of time. But the remaining value or some parts of it should be retained or refunded.”

Villar is calling on telecommunications companies to lengthen the consumption period or time limit of prepaid cards. “It should not be too short or restrictive. Prepaid cards should not be good or valid within a few weeks or months only, it should be good for a couple of years or for not less than a year.”

Globe has put a 15-day limit for P100-denominated prepaid card and a 60-day limit for P250-, P300-, P500- and P1,000-denominated prepaid cards. Smart Communications has set a 60-day limit for P300-, P500- and P1,000-denominated cards and a three-day limit for P30 auto load; six-day limit for P60 auto load, 12-day limit far P115 auto load and 30-day limit for P200 auto load.

Villar said the “unused value forfeiture policy” of telecom companies directly hit low-income earners with tight budget and can only afford to buy small-denominated prepaid cards.

“Prepaid-card users cannot prolong their usage of the call or text credits because the phone companies leave them with no choice since there is the risk of the unused value being forfeited. And they add these forfeited value or credits to their revenues,” added Villar.

The lawmakers advised telecom companies to invest on the smart card or chip technology so that prepaid cards could be rechargeable, rather than disposable.

“Phone subscribers can load up their prepaid cards, so that unused value are just carried over, may be even for an indefinite period of time.”