Gong Xi Fa Cai!

Gong Xi Fa Cai! (恭禧發財)

Welcome the Year of the Water Dragon!

My New Designation...

Every change in administration warrants internal change. I just didn't expect this to happen a bit sooner. ;-) Maybe I guess I'm just this good that starting today I will be OIC for the Environmental Office of the City. You heard it right! My new title is City Environmental Officer. An IT guy in an environmental office, that's something you don't hear happen everyday. ;-)

As what the Secretary to the Mayor said during our talk while she was ready to hand me the memorandum for my new assignment (in the presence of the "Assistant" Human Resource Head) said that the Mayor has seen that I have the potential to jump start and organize the office since for almost three years from the inception of the ordinance the office is still in limbo and that the Mayor believes that I was the "right person to the position" and one who is strong enough of organizing it. No offense to the one currently in-charge of handling it, those were not my words. ;-)

Funny thing was, I think the City Administrator and the Secretary to the Mayor were not talking to each other since they have different statements released to me and to the public. (You be the judge of that). True, honesty and politics never go hand in hand. I would have appreciated it very much if they were in sync as not to embarrass nor offend anyone as they have tried so hard not to offend me. But of course, the point here is to insult not to offend but I can take that since they actually did a great job of not offending nor insulting me but insulting themselves by showing how lame they can make an excuse and how disorganized are their thoughts.

Anyway, since this is a new post and I have a new office to setup and a new assignment, that doesn't mean that I can not talk about IT here anymore. IT is a tool and an enabler. I guess there is so much things interconnected to IT as well as so many other things interrelated to environment.

Wish me luck! :-)

Information Security and Management

Information security and information management is one very crucial thing nowadays. As the world gets more and more interconnected and information readily available, the need to secure and manage this information is growing.

Mobile devices are even making these even more challenging. Just a few days ago, a friend of mine lost a mobile device with it configured all information to mobile banking, social networking configuration and anything that has something to do with online.

How far would you tighten security or loosen it? Policies are very important then. Policies at all levels and how much information can be given freely or information to be secured is very important. The bigger challenge here is that more executives and middle managers think that it is solely the responsibility of Information Technology experts or worst the Information Technology Departments. Well think again.

Determining value and the importance of information can better be determined by data creators, owners and users. So, the next time you think about information security, it's not solely the responsibility of one department but rather it is an organizational responsibility to management and secure it.

IOS 5 is here

Just heard that IOS 5 has been released. Update is now available. Updating my iPod touch and iPad. ;-)

A first taste of internet....

 

Although Internet started in the 1950's and 60's, the first time it landed in the Philippines was in early of 1995 and two schools were the first recipients of  internet. These were the University of San Carlos - Technological Center in Cebu City and University of the Philippines, in Diliman, Quezon City.  The rest followed after that.  

I was one of the more fortune ones to ever first try it out since I was a working scholar of the University of San Carlos assigned to the Computer Lab. It was not until when two years after I graduated when I had the taste of the first popular internet broswer which has a symbol above. Can anyone still remember this logo? :-)

Mortality...

"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma -- which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They should somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary." - Steve Jobs

Remembering the past... The Apple II

I guess some of you still remembers this. ;-) Well I have used this sometime in my lifetime and believe me, I have written thousands of lines of codes for this machine using Apple Basic which was preloaded into the system. I use to write programs for this machine during my High School days. ;-)

Farewell Steve Jobs...

Today the world mourns the passing of one of the greatest minds in the world. The person who inspired me during my younger years to become who I am. A symbol of innovation, perseverance and intellect. The man behind the company symbol, "the apple with a bite". My idol... Steve Jobs.

Since I was twelve, I already had an experience with the inventions he created, the Apple II computer. Working side by side with my personal TRS-80 computer and Texas Instrument TI/99A, I was able to compare these three and that time, the Apple Computer was already years ahead of the rest. And as I type this blog on the i-Pad 2 loaded with the Blogger+ software, I can't help but think how these things have touched my life and the life of others. We will miss you Steve and we will always remember you...

I dedicate this blog to you... Steve Jobs (1955 - 2011)

I'm back with my new Tab... Goodbye Galaxy...

I'm Back Again...

New devices are making things easy. Today, I just finished configuring my new device. The apple of my eye so to speak in the IT world. ;-) I even bought a wireless keyboard for it. Ah...The convenience of being wireless. It's so amazing this tablet technology is but again it's never about the device. Rather, it's about how people use the device to maximize productivity and improve on performance. I am loving my new iPad. It's just simple awesome and very light and fast. ;-) But still love to play with the android though... ;-) But wait... IOS5 is coming mid-fall.... Will to wait it out... ;-)

The inconveniece of convenience

There is always inconvenience when it comes to making things convenient for organization to take control of software applications/programs running in support to operations.

One example I can site are programmers. Programmers are like artist. But if you don't tame this artist and set your objectives straight, you get unwanted results and horror stories even beyond the artist's imagination. For year IT Managers and Business Owners has been trying to tame these artist and most if not always, managers, corporations, and business owners always get stuck with software applications which are either too complex, too difficult to modify or even at most impossible to work with.

Documentation is a one way of setting the pace and controlling them. By experience, this is has been proven effective. To make it even more effective, systems analyst does the documentation and set standards.

But in an organization I work for, there are other factors that affects systems development. Even changing political priorities can in one way or the other affect design and change the requirement overnight. Standards is also one very important element that should be introduced and strictly implemented. With that said, it makes this job interesting at the same time challenging. Cheers to my team!

Fuel Rationing. Is this the right solution?

Early this morning fuel prices again have risen to new record highs. I'm taking the public transport to help ease in my own small way the inefficient way of consuming fuel by going to the office alone inside my car. I normally drive alone simply because like any other household people will always have have different destinations and work schedules. The Department of Energy is planning of issuing cards to ration fuel consumption at the same time monitor it to be able to better assess the current fuel consumption of the motoring public.

In my opinion I find this too short-termed. You can't just keep to rationing when there is a price surge or when there is a shortage. You can not just simply keep on collecting data. You have to find real solutions to real problems. As everybody knows fuel can be transformed into energy and this energy is what sustains economic security and social stability. National governments should find specific and attainable solutions to this fuel crises that is being felt everywhere. Alternative fuel sources are abundant it is just that we can not keep a blind eye to this. We need to tap these sources. We need to revamp laws that oppose to the development and usage of these.

We need to create an infrastructure of an effective and efficient mass transportation system to carry people and goods to places where it is needed and wanted. Of course there are no.straight and simple solutions to that but we have to try. We have to manage and balance everything putting with the utmost importance the protection of the environment we live in because this is the only home we have. We need to show future generations and educate them what is right if we are to survive as people living on this planet. We need change.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.8

Installed blogger for My Android Tablet Phone.

Still up this late. Can't sleep. Got a text from my honey in Bacolod. She just went home from the office. So what do you do when you're up? You tinker around with your devices. One thing I remember was that I haven't posted any new entry on my blog. Too busy and internet at the office is vey slow. Still waiting for my line upgrade.

So, remembering that I had downloaded several useful tool on my android tablet but forgot to download something for my blog. So I went inside the Android market and started to search and found this application called Blogger-droid. I immediately downloaded the apps and configure it. Now I can blog anytime anywhere through my android phone. Pretty cool. I love it. Not that easy to use but adequate for me. Now I have no excuse not updating this blog. Cheers to the maker of this app!

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.8

Recycled

Found a lot of plastic bags. Folded and stored them in a jar for future use. ;-)

Budgets Cebu City LGU Style

The past few weeks has been nothing but series of meetings and presentations. The year is ending and it's budget season once more. The normal way of doing it is plan everything out for next year be it Capital Outlay, Maintenance Expenses and Personal Expenses of course and then include everything you need in next years budget in an Annual Investment Plan.

Since I joined the organization this has not happened yet. Their way of doing it is "skin and bones" budget and then just ask for additional budget in a Supplemental Budget (SB). But before a SB can happen, the City Treasurer has to certify if there is enough surplus to fund the SB of which the Budget Officer will also concurring. If there isn't enough then the other option is go into borrowings.

This year we are already on SB 5 (meaning we are already on our fifth supplemental budget for the year), the biggest ever in the history of the Cebu City. Question still left unanswered is, "Is there enough sources of funds?". Only the treasurer can answer that with the City Accountant will concur by generating financial statements.

But what is more intriguing about this SB is that the largest items in this budget are all ICT related and of which I had not been consulted, ever! This has caught the attention of a lot of the people from the different departments and offices of City Hall. Why? Because all of the budgeted items do not have a breakdown and no clear explanation of how it will be used. City councilors suddenly are questioning the motives of items and that why my department was never consulted in the first place. Then the woman behind it all emerged. It was one of the department managers. She was the culprit behind all of this. Was it Illegal, Unnecessary, Excessive, Extravagant, Unconscionable (IUEEU)?

Final decision? Budgets were cut, some items deleted and control of the technical description of the budgets given back to the department's control.

Lastly, I would like to thank all of the people behind me and who made this possible. She could have gotten away with it. By the grace of god she didn't

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.8

Career or Lovelife...

Been very busy lately. I'll be leaving for Bacolod in the afternoon to see the woman who inspired me to who I am today. (My Mariposa) Just can't wait to see her. ;-) Super excited!

Career can take a toll on relationships and what's making this relationship a bit different from the ordinary is that we are far apart (10 hours apart by Bus, 30 minutes apart by plane) and I'm on a day job and she's on a graveyard shift(Call Center). For some, that's not too far especially if you live in countries like China, Canada or the US but here we have ever changing bus and plane schedules so going to and from place can be a little bit challenging.

The country also is riddled with year round typhoons so that can affect schedules quite much. Airports and seaport are closed when there's a typhoon or a weather disturbance. (Typhoons here are getting nasty year on year by the way) Roads through shorter mountain routes can sometimes be closed during foggy or rainy days so that can also greatly affect travel time.

The only tool that keeping us in touch with each other is technology. We have Skype for chat and sometimes video conferencing (It's free!). We keep ourselves update on Facebook and just recently I'm on Twitter. (I'm still trying to convince her to get into Twitter) and there is the classic e-mails. But nothing can still beat the times when you're there hugging each other.... ;-) hope the plane ride this evening will be smooth (I hate air pockets!)

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.8

Mandate, mandate, mandate...

What so important about it? Well everything... We're one of the very few Local Government Units (LGU) who have a permanent department for IT with permanent plantillas. Meaning we get to keep our position even when a new set of government official takes there place in our city.

Sustainability is challenging enough at the National Government level and more challening on a local government unit. You see, most of the people working for the LGU have some ties with who sitting on the city council, mayor or vice mayor.

When I started working for Government 5 years ago, the first thing I did was to map out peoples relation to certain people and I had the shock of my life. I have brothers, sisters, husband and wives, cousins, sons and daugthers and worst of all people who had relations with certain officials (you know what I mean). :-)

So how did I do it? Slowly I mapped out a road map on how to deal with these people relationships and be able to pierce through them. Last month, I got the chance to let go five of them. In total as of today, I have gotten rid of 15 or more people already and I not afraid to let go of more for the sake of a flatter and leaner organization. Life is tough when you are working in an environment like this indeed... :-)

Aside from this internal force, you have to keep watch of external forces. Other department heads who manipulate and deceive officials on getting into projects that are ICT related but was never channeled or coordinated with the department. Well guess what, I slap the other department with a copy of the department's mandate and with that, we were able to tame them. I'm expecting more of this exercise but all I can do to protect the interest of the people is this piece of paper in my hands, the department's ordinance. That should be enough to remind them also that the citizen of Cebu City will be up in their armpits when they violate this...:-)

The Malaysian Experience... MAMPU

Yesterdays presentation at Futuregov speaks for how a country was able to put ICT things into the proper perspective. The presentation of the Malaysian Administrative Mordenisation and Management Planning Unit (MAMPU) done by Deputy Director Norhalina Adbul showed us that it only takes political will and administrative powers to make coordination of ICT initiatives possible.

Looking at how they we able to surpass agency differences and difficulty in coordination erased all doubts on why Malaysia is way ahead us. How I wish government agencies would come into the same terms. This clearly justify enough why there is a need for the Department of Information and Communciations Technology (DICT). As most readers do not know, this has been pending at the levels of Congress for quite some time now.

How I wish they promote the ratification soon inorder for us to fix the mess that we are into right now. I strongly believe that Congress should push for the creation of this department.

The presentation showed a glimpse on how Malaysia put their ICT initiative from the different government agencies by allowing the creation of data gateway facilities and interconnectivity. This I believe is very possible in the country despite the natural borders that physically separate the island regions.

On ICT Initiatives on Government

They say "You can bring the horse to the water but you can never force it to drink". I say,"Bring the horse to the water anyway. Sooner or later it will get thirsty and it will drink"... ;-) If they don't like your initiatives, just take the lead and make it really good. Sooner or later they will see your effort and see it is good and then eventually will join the ban... ;-)

The Cebu City GIS Experience

I consider sharing experiences as a way of telling people that they are not alone or they are lucky that they don't have to go through painful mistakes on project implementation and that they can avoid those mistakes and do it right.

Had to wake up early in the morning to travel more than 50Km from Davao City to a fellow LGU called Digos City who has just started their GIS initiatives. For me it was an opportunity to help initiatives like this. And today's meeting I consider it fruitful.

They were at the verge of drastically cutting budgets simple because they had been misinformed about what this thing call GIS is all about.

By the way, for the information of my readers here (if there are any ;-)), GIS stands for Geographic Information Systems. It's about putting spatial information on maps. To make is even simpler, you have map (in digital format of course), your data or information, you have a location and then you tie them together so that you can analyzed it. Since we are already ahead on this with regards to project implementation, I have a lot to share to them.

One simple GIS project I presented to them was Dengue Cases. We plotted incidences of Dengue in a community on a map and then let the computer process the information and come out with result on which areas had the most number of cases. Knowing who has the highest incidence would greatly help us target that specific area for operations and eliminate the guessing game and rationalize service delivery.

As expected, some were happy and some were emotional. In the end, at least I was able to present something decent and very layman for them to evaluate further and reconsider. That was enough to make me happy. In the end, I was able to say my piece.

I was presenting together with Davao City people who also has a long experience in GIS projects. Some project where similar, others unique. Bottom line was, that GIS as explained was a computerized system which serves as a tool to eliminate the guessing game and promote further transparency in governance and improve efficiency in delivery of services.

Politics and e-Governance...

I guess everyone know the lyrics by Billy Joel the song "Honesty". One line goes something like, "Honesty is such a lonely word. Everyone is so untrue. ". I guess I'm just too naive about so many things in this world and that I have to start realizing that Billy Joel is right and that you can never trust anyone but yourself not even the people closest to you (no, not even your dog...LOL).

Funny, I've been in the government for 5 years and I still have yet to learn that trolls and witches exist and that they are real, flesh and blood. That everyone has its own agenda and that I have to trust only my instinct and gut feeling. Trust no one. I should put that in my head.

Even your connections and relationships you shouldn't rely on. If you do, you committed the biggest mistake. You will realize that suddenly you're all alone. Never rely on promises, and words like "I will do something about it" or "Don't worry, we will find a way!". Keyword "we" is actually equivalent to "you" or "good luck".

In a few minutes, I will be in a budget hearing that will come into terms of whether it will make things happen or it will break me (alone with no one but myself). I can't do anything for now but watch on the sideline as the Titans battle it out with the trolls and witches.

Wish me luck... ;-)