First Gent launches gov't info-call center
Manila Bulletin, March 30, 2003, page 22
MANILA (PNA) -- Government's action on citizen's concerns, problems and queries is now just a phone call away with the formal launching Thursday by First Gentleman Jose Miguel T. Arroyo of the GAWIN 1345 government info-call center.
The call center, based at the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) in Quezon City, will enable the public to have an easy access to improve government's programs and services.
GAWIN stands for Government At Work Interagency Net.
During its simple launching rites, PIA Director General Renato Velasco said the project was personally conceived by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and worked out by his agency in close coordination with the Presidential Management staff (PMS) and the Office of the Press Secretary (OPS).
The PIA complex along Visayas Avenue in Quezon City serves as government's media center and houses NBN-4, Philippine Broadcasting System, and the Philippines News Agency (PNA).
Simple but vital in improving the government's delivery of services, Velasco said GAWIN 1345 is the President's response to the people's call for speedy and prompt actions on their complaints, demands and other concerns.
He said GAWIN 1345 is the citizens' direct link to the 14 government agencies and its nine line agencies in Metro Manila.
Through GAWIn 1345, Velasco said, delivery of services of these agencies will be monitored, commending those performing good while calling the attention of the slow-footed among them.
The laggards will be brought directly to the attention of the President, he said.
GAWIN 1345 will formally start its earnest operations when the President celebrates her birth anniversary on April 6 this year.
Not just another portal for complaints and inquiries, GAWIN 1345 was devised to accommodate and respond to public concerns and provides an easy way to fastrack information from the citizens to the government, PIA deputy director general Mike Reyes said.
Designed to give the people a 24-hour access to government services, GAWIN 1345 connects callers to its agencies and local government units not only for prompt actions but also for essential information such as names, phone numbers, and office addresses of agency heads.
Reyes said 1345 also gives callers realtime updates or breaking news, weather bulletins, health bulletins, tourism, national and special non-working holidays, school and work suspensions as well as the peso-dollar exchange rate.
Question on garbage, traffic, flooding, over-pricing, unattended civil works, and other similar concerns can also be accessed through GAWIN 1345, he said.
Instead of memorizing a lot of numbers, Reyes said, the public have only to memorize 1345 to access the project. The public can dial 1-3-4-5 for PLDT landlines and Smart subscribers, while Globe subscribers and other telecom companies and calls outside Metro Manila dial (02) 981-5000.
The project is also expected to declog the 117 emergency hotline of non-urgent calls, thus, easily entertain those needing immediate attention.
Mr. Arroyo, who used GAWIN 1345 during its launching Thursday, said the project means the government is not only giving its services directly to the people but improving their delivery as well.
PIA launches website
Manila Bulletin, March 30, 2003, page 17
The Philippine Information Agency (PIA), the government's main information arm, will launch the Government At Work Interagency Net (GAWIN) with telephone number 1-3-4-5 to identify and respond to issues and concerns requiring immediate state action.
GAWIN 1345 will entertain inquiries on the names og government agency heads, their phone numbers and office addresses, and provide key information, holiday information, weather bulletins, health bulletins, and peso-dollar rate.
A caller can report their concerns to call center agents of direct their concerns to various government offices using hotline numbers that they have provided through GAWIN's automatic call forwarding function.
GAWIN included the list of embassies in the country, the ambassadors'/consuls' name, address and contact numbers in its database. GAWIN's call center agents will relay these callers on demand.
The GAWIN project was conceived by the Office of the President, the Presidential Management Staff, the Office of the Press Secretary and the Philippine Information Agency.
Free overseas call at PIA Kumustahan Center continues
Cagayan de Oro -- Trends, March 27, 2003, page 3
Since Monday, March 24, the "PIA Kumustahan Center" in Cagayan de Oro City continues to serve relatives of overseas Filipino workers in the Middle East through free two-minute calls and emails.
Those with relatives working in Israel, Kuwait, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia may avail of the services from 1:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. daily at the ground floor of the regional office of the Philippine Information Agency, along Gomez corner Burgos Streets, according to PIA-10 Director Olivia T. Sudaria.
The "PIA Kumustahan Center" is being extended to the public by the Office of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo through the Philippine Information Agency, Office of the Press Secretary, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, National Telecommunications Commission, the Presidential Middle East Preparedness Team, and Philcom. (GUP/PIA-10)
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Philippine Information Agency