MULTIPURPOSE COMMUNITY TELECENTERS

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MULTIPURPOSE COMMUNITY TELECENTERS (MCT) Ms.
Merlita OpeñaPCHRD-DOST
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What is MCT?

• MCT piloted in the Philippines the introduction
  of Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
  as a tool for rural development
• MCT aims to contribute to peoples empowerment
  and development by providing access to community
  and partners information and communication
  resources and services.

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Why MCT?

• MCT is a response to the challenge of
• giving equitable access to knowledge and
  resources
• bringing the rural villages out of isolation
• making the information society to be more about
  inclusion rather than exclusion

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What MCT expects to achieve?

• To set-up a one-stop information resource center
  for the people in the barangays, by giving them
  access to information, people, and organizations,
  with the use of simple and state-of-the-art
  communication tools that can provide answers to
  the communities concerns.

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What MCT expects to achieve?

• To serve as a venue for learning, interaction,
  creating content and ICT-based applications,
  relevant to the needs of the communities (e.g.,
  health, education, agriculture/fisheries/natural
  resources, rural enterprise development)

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MCT Pilot Sites

• Agusan del Norte
• Barangay Maguinda, Butuan City
• Barangay Jaliobong, Kitcharao
• Lanao del Norte
• Barangay Malingao, Tubod
• Barangay Taguitic, Kapatagan

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Location
Jaliobong, Kitcharao
Maguinda, Butuan City
Taguitic, Kapatagan
Building on Related Initiatives
Malingao, Tubod
Legend
Agusan del Norte
Lanao del Norte
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MCT Initial Partners

• International Development Research Center (IDRC)
• Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
• United Nations Educational, Scientific and
  Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
• Association for Progressive Communications
  Womens Networking Support Programme (APC-WNSP)

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MCT Initial Partners

• Department of Science and Technology (DOST)
• Philippine Council for Health Research and
  Development (PCHRD)
• Advance Science and Technology Institute (ASTI)
• DOST-CARAGA
• DOST-10
• Philippine Science High School Central Mindanao
  (PSHS-CM) Lanao del Norte

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MCT Initial Partners

• National Library of the Philippines (NLP)
• Department of Transportation and Communication
  (DOTC) Telecommunications Office (TelOf)
  Lanao del Norte and Agusan del Norte
• Northern Mindanao State Institute of Science and
  Technology (NORMISIST)
• Mindanao State University Iligan Institute of
  Technology (MSU-IIT)
• eDevelopment Initiatives for Civil Society
  Organizations, Inc. (eDI)

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MCT Services

• Public Calling Office
• Internet Access
• Computer Processing Center
• Library and Reading Center
• Training Resource Center
• Content and ICT-based Applications

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MCT Development Strategies

• build on existing programs
• work with partners
• create local content/application
• ensure long-term viability and sustainability by
  strengthening local capability

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Lessons Learned

• Barangays have the capability to solve their own
  problem they have resources
• The people in the rural community are not always
  waiting for free services they have the
  capability to pay

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Lessons Learned

• MCT is a relationship project, one works within a
  web of relationships
• Bottom-up governance is viable there is a need
  to shift to the top-down view

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On management and operation

• Each MCT is different from the others, strongly
  dependent on leaders
• There should be a balance between giving public
  and commercial services
• Voluntarism is valuable, especially when the MCT
  is just starting

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On community mobilization

• Project ownership by the community is essential
• Active community involvement, sectoral formation
  and participation are very important

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On community mobilization

• Persons with strong leadership, with the right
  ability and orientation, encourage active
  community participation and help ensure a strong
  and sustainable MCT
• Easier if there is an existing organization

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On content development...

• Information need is an evolving concern
• Content/resources/applications available in the
  MCT should respond to the communitys information
  needs

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On content development...

• Community itself generates its own content a
  major source
• Networking with content generators enriches
  information resource at MCTs

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On content development...

• Use of local dialect hastens understanding and
  results to action
• Use popular/appropriate language and format
• Communicate proactively

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On technical infrastructure...

• Use appropriate, stable, and robust technology
  for connectivity, computing, and communication
• MCT operators should be trained on equipment
  maintenance and basic troubleshooting

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On evaluation and monitoring...

• Storytelling, by itself, and in combination with
  other tools, is a potent way to evaluate projects
• Looking into the views and needs of non-users is
  important

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Visit the MCT Website
www.barangayconnect.ph
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Thank you