Government agencies are increasingly adapting their services for mobile platforms especially when the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic hit the globe.
As state and local government agencies attempt to keep pace with the quality and ease-of-use of services, they create online portals for a service that has traditionally been offline.
However, not all people have access to the internet on a mobile device.
But don’t worry, agencies like the Pag-IBIG Fund got your back!
This agency that provides “Tapat na Serbisyo Mula sa Puso” continues to find ways in order bring the government closer to the people.
The Fund launched the Lingkod Pag-IBIG on Wheels (LPOW) this year to make it easier for people to access their services and benefits.
In Ilocos Region, the Pag-IBIG Fund branches, headed by Area Head Mervin Pereda, rolled out the LPOW to provide Ilokanos and Pangasinenses with easy access to their programs and services, and to reach areas that are far from the agency’s physical branch and which have weak internet connectivity.
Meanwhile, the Pag-IBIG Fund-Dagupan Branch in Pangasinan, headed by Edison Iglesia, conducted the LPOW from August 15 to September 9, 2022 covering 18 cities/municipalities under its jurisdiction.
According to Melissande Kathleen Apolonio, account specialist of Pag-IBIG Fund-Dagupan Branch, these areas are in central and western Pangasinan which include Calasiao, Binmaley, Dasol, Sual, Urbiztondo, Mangatarem, Bayambang, San Carlos City, Anda, Bolinao, Bani, Mabini, Burgos, Dagupan City, Mangaldan, Mapandan, Lingayen, and Aguilar.
Apolonio said the LPOW is the agency’s way of giving services from the heart by bringing them closer to members and non-members of the Fund who may not have the time or opportunity to file for a loan or inquire for a benefit.
“Through this, immediate and suitable services are given to people especially for the working sectors such as market vendors, transport groups, farmers, and other informal sectors that live in far-flung areas that are underserved,” she told the Philippine Information Agency.
She added, “A total of 1,833 members and potential members were served during the month-long LPOW. Of the number, 305 registered to be new members, 217 applied for loans, and 226 updated their records.”
“Among the transactions they availed from the Fund are membership registrations, updating of member’s records, loan application, including applications for Modified Pag-IBIG II (MP2) program, inquiries on provident benefit claims, and verification and queries on contribution and loan balances,” she said.
But for those who prefer to use mobile devices to do business with government, Apolonio shared that the Fund is also operating 24/7 through its Virtual Pag-IBIG mobile app to serve more members in the country.
The mobile app allows members to view their Pag-IBIG Savings and annual dividends, confirm savings remitted and loan payments made through all channels, and monitor their loan balances and due dates.
The mobile app can be accessed by members using their Virtual Pag-IBIG accounts to ensure data protection and security.
With the Virtual Pag-IBIG mobile app, the Fund is truly bringing its services to the palm of their members’ hands.
The Virtual Pag-IBIG mobile app is now available via Google Play at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=pagibigfund.virtualpagibigapp&raii=pagibigfund.virtualpagibigapp, and shall soon be available on the Apple App Store. (JCR/AMB/PIA Pangasinan)
