MANILA - Pasig on Monday launched a “Facebook-like” IT system that would automate clerical tasks within the city's Human Resource department, enabling the local government to "focus on the career development of each worker."

Pasig spent P47 million to mount the Government Employee Management System (GEMS), which would allow city government workers to access and file their daily time records, applications for promotion and leaves, said Elvira Flores, head of Pasig City's Human Resources Department.

"Every employee may account. It contains all the records
Puwede sila mag transact doon (They can transact there)," Flores told ABS-CBN News.

"'Yung payslip mo nandiyan na din kasi may mga questions sila bakit nabawasan," she said.

Pasig City’s new HR system will allow employees to file leaves, DTRs, and applications for promotion either through a website, an online app or via 100 kioks installed in schools, barangay halls and health centers in the city.

Similar technology being used in private companies. pic.twitter.com/MjuHMshPWR

— Kat Domingo (@_katrinadomingo) July 12, 2021

The new system doubles as a job portal both for external and internal hiring, Flores said.

"Nakalista doon lahat ng vacant positions... If you applied for a promotion, kita mo kung saang stage ka na ng process," she said.

"Diyan na din sila mag e-evaluate ng performance evaluation. 'Yung iba kasi hindi nakikita ng empleyado 'yung rating nila," she said.

The automation of processes in the HR department is part of Pasig City's push to create a more transparent government, she said.

"This will be our tool para maturuan yung government employees ng rules kasi sobra siyang compliant sa CSC (Civil Service Commission) rules," she said, noting that the system only allows employees to file leaves at least 5 days before the date of absence.

"Everything is transparent and everyone is involved," she said.

The local government has installed 100 kiosks in schools, barangay halls and health centers in the city so that workers who do not have computers and smart phones may still access the system.

The digitalization of clerical tasks will allow the 65 staffers of the HR Department to focus on "giving personalized service" to Pasig's 10,300 employees, Flores said.

"'Yung mga clerical work na ginagawa ng HR, hindi na gagawin ng HR. We will work to focus on the development ng bawat empleyado.”

"Kailangan namin i-push ang career development ng bawat empleyado at yun na yung pupuntahan naming trabaho," she said.

LOOK: Pasig City also launches its Information and Directory system, a touch screen panel that will allow the public to access the city’s charter, directory, organizational chart and wayfinder. pic.twitter.com/Z51yGJq4Ab

— Kat Domingo (@_katrinadomingo) July 12, 2021

Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto said the new system would help the local government regularize more workers.

"Kung makikita ninyo yung nasa department natin, gabundok talaga yung papel niyan kasi 10,00 yung empleyado natin," he told ABS-CBN News in a separate interview.

"In the past, we had problems with the records from the 80s and the 90s that have been inputted incorrectly," he said.

• From 900 to 2,000: Pasig doubles number of regular city gov't workers in 2 years

GEMS would also "minimize errors" in the computation of a workers' final pay from the city government, he said.

"Nagiging problema hanggang sa pag-monetize nila ng leave credits nila, mali-mali yung computation kasi mali-mali yung pag input noong una pa lang," he said.

"This will help minimize errors. This will help us track the data better. This will help us manage employees more efficiently," he said.

GEMS is the latest automation program of the Pasig City government under Sotto's administration.

Earlier this month, the local government launched an IT system to integrate patients’ records in health centers, hospitals.

• Pasig launches new IT system to integrate patients’ records in health centers, hospitals

Pasig City has also opened a one-stop shop for business permits, and allowed businesses to pay their taxes through online channels.

The automation of tax payments helped Pasig City hit 78 percent of its target tax collection this year in just 6 months, Sotto said in an earlier interview.

• Pasig opens new one stop shop for business permits
• Pasig City collected 78 pct of target 2021 tax revenue in 6 months: mayor

Last year, the local government used Pasig Pass, a QR-code based contact tracing system that doubles as a vaccine pass.

• PasigPass may double as 'vaccine pass'- Vico Sotto

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