UPGRADE PHILIPPINES

NO HOLDS BARRED (024) July 24, 2009
By Ike Señeres

UPGRADE PHILIPPINES

I am very much inspired by the warm response of my readers to my offer of teaching local communities about computerizing the delivery of public services by way of low cost hardware and software. To those who are not technologically savvy, I would like to explain that in my offer, I was talking about using open source software like Linux, and free applications software that will be donated by some advanced local government units (LGU).

In reality, the computerization of public services delivery does not really require rocket science. Most of the LGUs could actually afford it, except for those at the low end, the fourth class and the third class municipalities. Most of the barangay units could not afford it however, and this is where low cost machines and freeware could be most useful.

Linux and all the other freeware have been around for a long time, but it was previously very difficult to maintain these systems, because these were not too user friendly. Over the years however, these freeware have evolved to a point wherein ordinary users could actually maintain these on their own. In addition to that, online tech support is now available.

Computerization is not the be all and end all of local public services delivery. Computers are simply just tools for people to use, so it is very important that the users of these tools are also equipped to use these tools, and that should start with the appreciation of what these tools could do. The fact is, there should actually be manual systems in place. If there are no manual systems, there is nothing to computerize.

Due to the response that I got from my offer to help, I am going to make sure that we could sustain this upgrade program as soon as we start it. Yes you read me right; this is really just a program to upgrade the quality of governance in the LGUs, down to the lowest level of the barangay. I think however that the key to the sustainability will be the people, the people who will use these systems, and the people who will maintain these.

Having identified people as the key, I will now talk to the organizations that will be helping us in this upgrade program, making sure that the time tested balance of resources in computerization will be in place, referring to the balance of manpower, infrastructure and content.

In the response that I got, it became even clearer to me that the priority of which function or service to focus on will really depend on the prime movers of the upgrade programs in each locality. Some of those who responded have identified the primary and secondary schools, while others have identified health centers and computer centers.

For those who are reading my column for the first time, I would like to say again that my offer was to teach local communities what it takes to upgrade their local public service delivery systems. The plan is for them to solicit old computers from local and foreign sources. I will start by teaching them how to re-format these old machines by installing new Linux operating systems. I will also help them look for free applications software.

The use of Linux is really nothing new. What is new is that new versions of Linux have come up, making it practically user friendly. As a matter of fact, Google will soon come up with a version that is still Linux, but will be tweaked to make it more seamless with the popular search engine.

The choice of connecting these upgraded machines to the Internet should also be the decision of the local prime movers. Nowadays however, it is not very difficult to connect any machine to the Internet, old or new. In my previous column, I suggested that local communities should interconnect their computers so that they could build their own Virtual Private Networks or VPNs.

Technically speaking, an Intranet is just one of the applications that could be run within a VPN. Over the years however, these two terms have become synonymous. In layman terms, an Intranet is in effect a private network within another network such as the Internet.

Looking at the long term, it would be good to plan for local Intranets that could eventually connect to the Internet in general, and to the Intranets of national government agencies in particular, for upgraded connectivity.

Watch my TV show “Bears & Bulls”, a daily coverage of the Philippine Stock Exchange. 9:00 am to 1:00 pm in Global News Network. Email iseneres@yahoo.com or text +639293605140 for local cable listings.

VIRTUAL PRIVATE NETWORKS

NO HOLDS BARRED (023) July 19, 2009
By Ike Señeres

VIRTUAL PRIVATE NETWORKS

There is nothing new about Virtual Private Networks (VPNs). What is new now is that it is already possible now for any organization, big or small to put up their own VPN, and that includes small business and big government, counting local government units (LGUs) as well.

Just a few years ago, only big business could afford to put up local and global VPNs, because only they could afford to pay for expensive leased lines, which they used to have “pipes” to run their networks. That has all changed now with the popularity of “Internet Protocol” or IP.

It was the Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology that introduced most of us to the wonders of IP. Years ago when I was still the Director General of the National Computer Center (NCC), I made a prediction that in the future, most of the technology innovations will evolve around IP and the Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), and it has already happened.

As it is now, IP has become the infra that runs HTML, which is really nothing more than the language that is used to create browser based content, with all its newer manifestations such as the Extensible Markup Language or XML. Many other Markup Languages are in use today.

Many of us are fascinated about broadband, often wondering what it really is. In layman terms, it is the broader infra that could carry bigger signals, as opposed to narrow band. Needless to say, broadband is faster and better. It is the broadband technology, particularly the wireless variety that is now making IP technology more ubiquitous, particularly VoIP.

Sounding hi-tech as it is, IP is actually now available to anyone that has Internet access, and this is the reason why any organization big or small could now build their own VPN, using IP as the infra. Voice is actually just one of the services that could run on IP, video, text and data being the other services among others.

What could big or small organizations do with a VPN? In the old days when IP was not yet affordable, it took a lot of money to run global messaging networks. With the entry of IP however, any organization could now interconnect their branches or operating units regardless of their locations, for as long as they have Internet access.

What is the potential of VPNs for the delivery of public services? Since VPN uses Internet technology, it is now possible for any computer, old or new to connect to a VPN, as long as Internet access is available. When I say old, I mean old and that could be as old as the 286 machines. This is just an exaggeration, because the oldest machines available in the second hand market are probably the Pentium series from 1 to 4.

For example, it is now possible to interconnect public health centers with each other, with city hall and with nearby hospitals, and even with PHILHEALTH. In the same manner, it is now possible to interconnect police stations with each other, with city hall, and with Camp Crame. The list goes on, as we include public schools and public markets, among others.

In the case of both big and small business, it is now possible to interconnect all their branches with the head office, enabling them to run their inventory, distribution and sales reporting systems, among others, including of course their point of sale POS systems.

Corruption has always been the stumbling block of good computerization, because corrupt elements would always want to buy new machines so that they could get bigger commissions. This is no longer a problem now, as government units including LGUs could now use old computers that will be donated to them. Where there is no money involved, there is no corruption.

I am now extending an invitation to anyone who reads this column. If you want to improve governance in your own locality, go ahead and solicit old computers that you could donate to health centers, public schools or police stations or wherever you like. Together with my group of volunteers, we could teach you how to interconnect these with VPNs. I am now exploring a possible cooperation with the Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP). We are planning to utilize VPN technology for practical applications in good governance. You can help us if you are interested.

Watch my TV show “Bears & Bulls”, a daily coverage of the Philippine Stock Exchange. 9:00 am to 1:00 pm in Global News Network. Email iseneres@yahoo.com or text +639293605140 for local cable listings.

REGIONAL COOPERATION

NO HOLDS BARRED (022) July 11, 2009
By Ike Señeres

REGIONAL COOPERATION

What is the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum? APEC was envisioned to be a venue for “economies” within and around the “Pacific Sea” to come together to cooperate with each other. This has been an emerging trend in international relations, for countries or economies around “bodies of water” to work together towards common economic goals.

How to organize local economic forums? Here in the Philippines, we have about 240 river basins all over the country, and that does not yet include other biospheres that are bound together by common lake shores and coast lines. Since climate change is ultimately linked to climatic and geophysical changes around river basins, lake shores and coast lines, why not build economic cooperation forums around these biospheres, APEC style? This is definitely better than having fragmented forums in each jurisdiction.

Which has more money? Is it CDM or is it CDF? Believe it or not, the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) could be a bigger source of funding for Local Government Units (LGUs) compared to the Countryside Development Fund (CDF). Well, the comparison is inexact, because LGUs are hardly able to have access to CDF anyway.

What is CDM? It is the mechanism devised by the first Kyoto Protocol (yes there is now a second one) for the purpose of allowing industrialized countries with greenhouse gas reduction commitments to invest in projects that reduce emissions in developing countries as an alternative to the more expensive emission reductions in their own countries.

How can LGUs make money from CDM projects? The local government code allows LGUs to enter into projects in the same manner that private corporations could. This means that LGUs, acting on their own or in joint venture with private companies could enter into projects that could qualify for CDM investments. Consequently, these projects or companies could sell the carbon credits produced to buyers representing companies in the industrialized countries.

Can LGUs own and operate utility companies? The answer is yes, either investing on their own, or in joint venture with private companies. In areas where there is no electricity, LGUs could actually invest in mini hydro projects. Even small rivers and small waterfalls could be tapped to produce energy. As a bonus, the local irrigation system could also be improved. Projects like these are already in place in Cordillera Province.

Are electric cooperatives engaged only in the selling of electric power? Could it be part of their mandate to provide lighting to off grid areas? If they could catch on to this new orientation, they could sell the solar lamps on installment terms, since they are the ones who have the money to invest in inventory.

Is it really better to distribute water in the provinces through the so called “water districts”? Why not follow the business model of electricity, which is now being sold by electric cooperatives? This will remove the burden from the LGUs that are now sponsoring the existence of water districts. Is it now time to study the potential of water cooperatives?

Is it time to think about gas cooperatives? There are now technologies that are available that would enable small communities to own and operate their own gas company to distribute cooking gas. The methane gas could also be produced locally on site. This being the case, why not put up gas cooperatives also? With more coops entering the utilities industries in the rural areas, we could see the faster distribution of wealth.

Why not localize the irrigation function? Water cooperatives could also actually become the providers of irrigation water. This would actually spur local productivity in such a way that we might even attain self-sufficiency in rice much earlier.

Why not supply water to orchards too? Trees need water too, believe it or not. In some places, rain water may not be enough for trees to survive and bear fruit. So why not also make it the business of local water cooperatives to supply water to the local orchards? We need to change our mindset, away from the old thinking that irrigation is only for rice, period.

Watch my TV show “Bears & Bulls”, a daily coverage of the Philippine Stock Exchange. 9:00 am to 1:00 pm in Global News Network. Email iseneres@yahoo.com or text +639293605140 for local cable listings.

MORE HELP FOR FILIPINO INVENTORS

NO HOLDS BARRED (021) July 5, 2009
By Ike Señeres

MORE HELP FOR FILIPINO INVENTORS

Why not give tax breaks for inventors who are trying to build prototypes with their limited budgets? It’s already hard for them to raise the money to build these prototypes. Let us not make it even harder for them to put into form the ideas in their minds.

And why not subsidize the costs of patenting these inventions worldwide? No single Filipino inventor has the resources to patent his invention in key global markets. The only way they could do this is if they get some government support.

There could be more investors here if the “investment” highway is faster. The first step is to set up “Business One Stop Shops” at the Local Government (LGU) level.

An idea came up in my show, to put up “investment clubs” for young start-up professionals. This idea is a perfect match for a new law that gives tax breaks to young investors who want to buy from the stock exchange.

Another idea came up, to offer entry level stock options to anyone who is just starting to buy stocks, young or old. The idea is to come up with a short list of blue chip stocks that are known to always increase in value, on top of being known to be declaring stock dividends regularly. For lack of a better name, these could be called “framed stocks”.

Who knows that if we have more investors around, our inventors would also have a better chance of getting their projects funded? Sad to say, the venture capital market here is still in its infant stages.

Our inventors should look into the potential of using light emitting diodes (LEDs) as components for new solar powered products. The product potential for this component is unlimited and as it is now, Chinese inventors are ahead of the game.

School Boards in areas that are “off the grid” should consider buying solar lamps for students who have no electricity at home. The budget for this could be taken from the local Educational Support Fund (ESF). This would also enable the families of the students to save about 250 pesos per month for kerosene.

Are electric cooperatives engaged only in the selling of electric power? Could it be part of their mandate to provide lighting to off grid areas? If they could catch on to this new orientation, they could sell the solar lamps on installment terms, since they are the ones who have the money to invest in inventory.

Is it really better to distribute water in the provinces through the so called “water districts”? Why not follow the business model of electricity, which is now being sold by electric cooperatives?

There are now technologies that are available that would enable small communities to own and operate their own gas company to distribute cooking gas. The methane gas could also be produced locally on site. This being the case, why not put up gas cooperatives also? With more coops entering the utilities industries in the rural areas, we could see the faster distribution of wealth.

Do you know that integer is the root word of integrity? In Latin it means untouched or whole. I guess what it means is that people who have their integrity intact remain as whole.

Online gaming is very popular in Japan both as an entertainment source and as an educational medium. The same thing could happen here, except that online access here is still less than 5%.

Techno Farming? Anyone interested? If you answer is yes, let me know so that I could put you in touch with other people who are also heading towards this direction.

Thanks to the honest folks at Allegro Center in Pasong Tamo Extension who returned my lost car keys. That’s Job of Jolibee who found it and Ding of Security who kept it. Honesty is still alive.

Watch my TV show “Bears & Bulls”, a daily coverage of the Philippine Stock Exchange. 9:00 am to 1:00 pm in Global News Network. Email iseneres@yahoo.com or text +639293605140 for local cable listings.