Thousands of Irisan residents avail of free “contact-less transaction” app
11 October 2020 – The “Baguio City In My Pocket” (BCIMP) multipurpose smart phone app and web portal making “contact-less” government transactions possible is gaining ground in Irisan Barangay.
In a media forum, October 7, at City Hall, Information Technology Business Solutions (ITBS) operations manager Melquiades Barin revealed, a third of Irisan’s 35-thousand residents have already signed up for BCIMP.
Barin said registration is free and voluntary. Only basic personal information is required from registrants.
He assured residents of careful management of their personal information, with firewalls in place to prevent hacking.
He likewise guaranteed the BCIMP complies with local privacy laws.
Apart from its touted no-touch transactions, the app has expanded contact-tracing features that could warn of persons possibly afflicted with the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19).
It also has quick access to emergency services and real-time conversation threads that promote participatory governance, Barin added.
The project is part of Baguio’s “SMART City” system, which utilizes technology to deliver gold-standard services to its constituents.
The Mayor said the new technology will rationalize management of basic city services, enhance monitoring of peace and order, and facilitates the delivery of a wide-array of government services to residents, among others.
Barin said, as Baguio’s most populous, Irisan was chosen to pilot the app. If successful, it will be offered city-wide.-Gaby B. Keith