Bataan barangays get new cellphones and 2-way radios

BALANGA CITY, Bataan, Aug. 7--New technology services have been started to be brought down in the communities of Bataan in an effort to  enhance the communications system between all the barangays, municipal, provincial and congressional leaders.

Representative Jose Enrique Garcia III  of the province’s second district said that free celullar phones and two-way radios were provided to the 237 village chairmen to have faster communications especially in times of calamities.

Garcia said that  all 237 barangay chairmen were given a cellphone each while 111 village chairmen in the second district were handed two units each of  two-way radios or a total of 222 pieces.

The 126 barangay chairmen in the first district will also receive soon in a separate turnover from Congresswoman Geraldine Roman two units each of the two-way radios.

The cellphones came from the provincial government while the two-way radios were from the two congressmen.

“We are bringing the new technology in the barangays to have faster communications,” Garcia said.

A messaging group chat will be in place for the speedy flow of information. The two-way radios will be connected to respective municipalities and the 1Bataan command center.

The program is under the Barangay Communication System and Development Center of Bataan envisioned by Governor Albert Garcia.

The congressman said the system will be two pronged with the provincial government sending vital warnings and information to the villages, especially in cases of calamities and vice-versa on the part of the barangays.

“This is great for us. The communications will be faster and this will be a big help in the barangay,” Barangay Daan Pari chairman Luzviminda Ansa in Orion, Bataan said.

The cellphones under Plan 600 with Smart Communications are shouldered by the provincial government.  Bills in excess of P600 will be taken care off by the barangay.

So as not to overbill, Congressman Garcia advised village officials to refrain from using the internet but to use Viber which he said is free. (Texts reposted from Philippine News Agency)

PHOTO CREDIT: 2-way radios - radiophil.com