CEBU CITY, PHILIPPINES — The Cebu City Council has approved a resolution allocating P10.25 million for a digital platform designed to centralize all citizen reports and feedback which will be called a Citizen Action Center (CAC).
Councilor Jaypee Labella, who sponsored the resolution, said the CAC will make reporting easier and more transparent.
“Ang Citizen Action Center is the online platform kon asa ka ka report. Dili na kinahanglan mangutana kon asa mureklamo.
Makita gyud ninyo ang updates until masulbad siya,” he explained, stressing that the system will reassure citizens their concerns will be acted upon.
Labella in an interview with The Freeman yesterday emphasized that the CAC is not a simple website but a full governance platform powered by artificial intelligence (AI) that caused the allocated figure to go millions in pesos.
He explained that the proposed amount was prepared by the Mayor’s Public Information Office and the Management Information and Computer Services, based on industry standards and the terms of reference.
“AI naman gud siya…Mao ni ang proposed amount sa Mayor’s PIO ug sa MICS. That’s the amount based on the terms of reference because they are comparing it with the industry standard,” he said.
The ₱10.25 million covers three years of warranty, technical support, server costs, and system optimization.
He added that the project will be implemented in phases, beginning immediately and continuing until 2028, ensuring that the system can start servicing the city as soon as possible.
“This is also good for three years na. And as mentioned in the Executive Session, it will be created by phase and will service the City ASAP until 2028,” Labella explained.
He clarified that the funding was already secured through the Annual Investment Plan of 2024, which was realigned to cover the CAC. “Diri sa 2024 na nako…unya gi re-align nako…So naa na na siya’y budget daan,” he said.
Labella also noted that the ₱10.25 million is the ceiling amount, and the final cost could be lower after competitive bidding.
“I-bid paman ni so maybe naay maka-bid of lower price,” he remarked.
Mayor Nestor Archival, in his request to Labella earlier explained that citizen concerns currently arrive through fragmented channels—Facebook pages, hotlines, walk-ins, and department logs—causing delays and inconsistent documentation.
The CAC will consolidate these into one coordinated system, improving efficiency, transparency, and accountability across all departments.
The project proposal outlines a comprehensive platform with an AI-powered intake chatbot, a public-facing portal, departmental dashboards, analytics tools, geolocation mapping, and compliance mechanisms with the Ease of Doing Business Law and the Data Privacy Act.
Technical requirements include scalable architecture for 100,000 concurrent users, AES-256 encryption, daily backups, and strict audit logging.
The system will also feature community voting for prioritization, automated case routing, and analytics tools to monitor performance and service gaps.
Expected outcomes include faster response times, reduced unresolved cases, digitized records, and citywide visibility of service gaps.
The system will undergo a proof-of-concept deployment before full rollout, with a minimum three-year warranty and technical support.
Training sessions for administrators and staff are also part of the package to ensure smooth adoption across departments.
With the resolution now approved, Cebu City is set to establish a fully operational Citizen Action Center that officials believe will modernize frontline service delivery, reduce unresolved cases, and strengthen public trust in local governance.
The project, backed by both the Council and the mayor, is seen as a milestone in Cebu City’s digital transformation, ensuring that citizen voices are heard, tracked, and resolved with transparency and accountability.
| Written by Caecent No-ot Magsumbol/RAE
