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Right: School children in Maguinda have now their own computers

A pilot project in Philippines to establish Barangay Multipurpose Community Telecenters (MCT) aims at providing people in remote villages with the access to the Internet. This project builds on existing telecommunication infrastructure and on participation of village communities and initiatives and programs of the government, civil organisations, and the private sector.

The project has been working with four barangays in Mindanao Bgy Jaliobong (Kitcharao), Bgy Maguinda (Butuan City), Bgy Malingao (Tubod) and Bgy Taguitic (Kapatagan). Department of Science and Technology (DOST) of the Philippine Government and institutions in Butuan City collaborate to solve technical problems and identify operational models and services responding to the needs of people in barangays.

MCT services range from that of a calling office, an Internet cafi, a computer-processing center, a reading and training resource center, and a place for people to interact. The MCT is a venue for creating indigenous barangay information, as well as subject-specific Philippine information, in particular those on health, education, agriculture and rural enterprise development.

The MCT project's goal is to develop people's capability to harness information and communication technologies for rural development and empower village communities to participate in an evolving knowledge-based society.

Last February a delegation of representatives from DOST, local organisations, IDRC and CIDA visited two barangays Maguinda and Jaliobong. It has been very rewarding experience to see the enthusiasm of young people in the villages, their eagerness to embrace the new technology and willingness to learn.

More photos can be found through this link

2001-03-03

News 38 of 50