Creation of the Quezon
E-commerce Services Office (QUESO)
This is not the first time that e-commerce project in the
internet was proposed to Quezon province. As early as 1997
there were not few groups who tried to do the business. One
was composed of doctors, another was put up by computer students;
there was one website promoted by Uro de la Cruz (Film director
of Bubble Gang and many other films and a native of Lucban)
and many others put up by private individuals. Indeed it
is hard to say that their business did prosper, easier to
say that they have one common “complain”, and
that is the factor of participation of local government units
which was obviously lacking. The B2Bpricenow.com, so far
the No.1 e-commerce website in the country today, started
doing roadshows in Quezon province even before the implementation
of E-Commerce Act of 2000. And they are clear from the very
start, part of their strategy is to involve LGUs in the implementation
of this business.
Hence, the request that Quezon E-commerce Services Office
(QUESO) be formally created by the provincial government
of Quezon through Hon. Wilfrido L. Enverga’s Executive
Order, the proposed draft of which reads:
Executive Order No. ___ Series of ______
Creation of Quezon E-commerce Services Office
Whereas, the E-Commerce Act of 2000 (Part I, Section 1) state that we recognize “the
vital role of information and communications technology (ict) in nation-building;
the need to create an information-friendly environment which supports and ensures
the availability, diversity and affordability of ICT products and services;
the primary responsibility of the private sector in contributing investments
and services in telecommunications and information technology; the need to
develop, with appropriate training programs and institutional policy changes,
human resources for the informations technology age, a labor force skilled
in the use of ICT and a population capable of operating and utilizing electronic
appliances and computers”;
Whereas, the provincial government of Quezon, taking into
consideration the 545 hectares out of the total 871 hectares
of the total land area of Quezon (or 63%) is agricultural,
home to 724,000 labor force, mostly farmers (or 287,000 are
agriculture-related), whose products, industry and services
should take the lead of bringing these farmers and their
goods in the internet market where goods and services bought
by Filipinos valued at US$265 million in 2002;
Now therefore, I, Wilfrido L. Enverga, Governor, Quezon
Province, by virtue of the power vested in my by law, do
hereby ORDER:
Section 1. Composition. A Quezon E-Commerce Service Office
(QUESO) is hereby created with composition and responsibilities
hereunder enumerated
1. Hon. Wilfrido L. Enverga Governor
2. Mrs. Evelyn S. Abeja Provincial Administrator
3. Mr. Zaldy L. Gariguez Project Coordinator, Marketing
4. Mrs. Luzviminda A. Torres Project Coordinator, Agriculture
5. Mr. Peter Henry I. Osmond Project Coordinator, Finance
6. Mr. Oscar A. Camara, Jr. Project Coordinator
7. Vacant Staff, Trainor
8. Vacant Staff, Coordinator
9. Vacant Staff, Computer Operator
Section 2. Responsibilities. The Quezon E-Commerce Service
Office (QUESO) shall:
2.a Conduct Training and Seminars
In coordination with the Provincial Information Management
Office (PIMO), formulate module and conduct training to cooperative
members, not necessarily the farmers themselves, to make
them capable of basic computer operation and browsing the
internet; this training should also help them appreciate
and realize how e-commerce, as an effective business tool,
tremendously speeds up transactions and minimize costs and
consequently improve their business.
2.b Create and Operate E-commerce Website
During the first stage of the project, namely encourage
farmer-sellers to use e-commerce, these players will temporarily
use the services of other e-commerce websites, particularly
the www.b2bpricenow.com. During the start of the project,
however, QUESO will also start building up its own e-commerce
portal. It will prominently be linked and directed by the
official website of Quezon whose address is http://www.quezon.gov.ph.
This office will allocate budget for web hosting, Domain
Name Server (DNS), programming and maintaining of this website.
2.b Perform Marketing and Promotion
Perform information dissemination and campaign using appropriate means including
roadshows and publications of leaflets/information materials which should be
distributed to the members of farmers cooperatives.
Once farmers-participants’ products are up on the
internet, the QUESO should make every effort to encourage
visits to the portal/website; encourage trading by creating
a list or possibly a data base of all potential buyers and
collect at least a hundred names, contact information, addresses
of highly interested costumers. Put the website address prominently
on all marketing materials (calling cards, letterheads/envelopes,
brochures, press releases, streamers, signages, billboards,
giveaways). Transactions, orders, inquiries that occur between
sellers and buyers must be constantly monitored to help the
officers recommend adjustments and in making policies.
2.c Coordinate
The QUESO will coordinate with concerned agencies, particularly
the farmers’ cooperatives, the Provincial Information
Management Office, Department of Agriculture and Agricultural
Training Institute, Department of Trade and Industry, Landbank
of the Philippines and other interested banks, TESDA and
other government and non-government agencies that could help
improve the e-commerce services of the province.
2.d Monitor and Evaluate
This Office shall draw an action plan before the start
of the project wherein the timetable is stipulated; conduct
regular evaluation and effect or implement improvements essential
to ensure the continued suitability of policies to the different
needs of the primary target market and other costumers.
2.e Set Internal Rules and Regulations
The QUESO adopts its own internal rules, procedures and
strategies in carrying out the above responsibilities, including
the setting of schedule of meetings and deliberations.
2.f Act as E-commerce Services Office
This office shall act as the prime e-commerce services
provider of the provincial government of Quezon. Other than
those functions mentioned in this Order, the QUESO will extend
full support to the constituents of Quezon province including
consultations regarding information technology, techno-farming,
packaging, marketing and promotion, and many others.
Section 3. Effectivity. This Executive Order shall take
effect immediately.
Done in the City of Lucena, Province of Quezon, this 14th
day of January, in the Year of our Lord, Two Thousand and
Four.
WILFRIDO L. ENVERGA
Governor
Rationale of the Business
E-commerce Act of 2000 enjoins all sectors especially the
government to harness and utilize the information technology
tool in all transactions. The reason is overwhelming, it
is not just because it is the trend that amazon.com or E-bay
are leading, the companies which continue to increase revenues
in the world market. Even the Philippine internet demographics
tells us that the current 4.5 million Filipino Internet Users
(FIUs) continue to rise by a million each year. Twenty-three
percent (23%) of these FIUs actually bought products and
services online with a total spending of around US$265 million
this 2002 (Philippine Internet Demographics, Janette Toral
of Digital Filipino). A big leap indeed from a mere US$1.6
million back in 1997.
Quezon Province has much to sell in the internet market,
taking into special consideration its agricultural and fishery
products. Sixty three percent (63%), or 545 hectares of the
total 871 has. land area is agricultural. Its diverse agro
climatic conditions make it suitable for raising a wide variety
of crops and animals. Its long coastal line yields different
kinds of marine species. Improvement of marketing system
quantity and quality of agriculture and fishery products
of Quezon, as well as upgrading technical skills of farmers
will increase productivity and improve the standard of living
of Quezon farmers.
E-commerce is a big solution to the limited market that
Quezon farmers had long been waiting. Lands will become more
productive. Usually, production is limited since the market
or the demand is. That is the reason why most of the lands
in Quezon are still not tilled and haven to the rebels. It
would be easier for our 40 field personnel of the Office
of the Provincial Agriculturist in coordination with DA Agribusiness
and Marketing Assistance Services and Agricultural Training
Institute to gather information from cooperatives and farmers
every harvest time of even during planting season an estimate
of projected harvest and post them on line.
Another problem that our farmers that would expect to overcome
is the old practice of getting the least price or return
for their products imposed by those unscrupulous middlemen.
E-commerce will provide our farmers not only the real time
market informations such as prices but also will give them
direct access to their potential buyers. Transactions will
be a lot cheaper for they can do everything, including the
payment, online. As one of our mentors from the Ateneo de
Manila expressed it, our farmers need to be online the soonest
possible.
Support and Services
1. Information Dissemination
On this right single step that much of the project’s
success relies. There is a saying, the more the merrier,
but in this case, if we have to create a market trend, every
Quezonian must then know about this electronic marketplace.
The Quezon E-commerce Services Office (QUESO) will first
issue a Memorandum Circular addressed to all Municipal Mayors,
calling the attention of all Municipal Planning and Development
Coordinators and Chairmen of the Board of Directors of Cooperatives,
informing them of the project. The intention of conducting
a roadshow and the invitation for a 3-day basic computer
operation training will be mentioned in that Memorandum Circular.
1.a. Roadshows
With an expected participant of at least 50, QUESO will
conduct roadshows to all municipalities at least once a week
(preferably Fridays) or at least 40 roadshows in a span of
20 months. QUESO will then keep a record of all cooperatives
not only of the farmers’ for proper scheduling. The
roadshow is expected to be attended by the cooperative members
and farmers. Invitation, however, should be extended to those
interested participants like the livelihood projects promoters
as initiated by the Munting Sambayanang Kristiyano of the
Lucena and Gumaca Dioceses of the members of Chambers of
Commerce and many others.
During the roadshows, the E-commerce Primer will be discussed
among other important information about QUESO and other supports
and services it provides. The medium that will be used is
Tagalog.
Also, in this training, we can present and overview and
suggest new projects or potentially new industries to the
farmers. It is like setting down a smorgasbord for them.
QUESO will coordinate with project proponents, for example,
of cassava project, of malapapaya, and others. This is best
described by the presentation of Hibiscus Sabdariffa Linn
or Roselle. Of course, with the permission and assistance
of Mr. Albert Garcia.
Roadshows must be very interesting since only the vital
and important points and overviews will be discussed in here.
These should entice or encourage the farmers and other entrepreneurs
to participate the training proper wherein details will be
discussed.
1.b Trainings and Seminars.
Trainings or preparations to it will formally start February
10, 2004 with an expected participants of at least ten (10)
people which will continue the whole month. Although the
initial reaction from the first invitation sent draws nod
from the officers/staff/other members of the cooperatives
and hesitation from the farmers who are busy in the farm,
it is highly encourage that the farmers themselves participate
the training. The module for this training will focus on
basic computer operation, internet browsing and registration
on e-commerce websites. Training kit will be prepared by
QUESO in coordination with the Provincial Information Management
Office (PIMO); and Mr. Oscar A. Camara, Jr. will temporarily
act as trainor. Tagalog or a mix of Tagalog and English will
become the medium of teaching. Registration fee of P250.00/per
participant will be collected from the participants to provide
trainees with training kit and snacks. On this batch of training
and its evaluation that policies and scheduling can be streamlined.
2. Creation of Website
Even though farmers can post their products on their preferred
e-commerce website and on as many sites as they want, still
it is necessary for them to find a website they can call
their own. During the training proper, farmers will learn
that not a few e-commerce websites are waiting for them to
post their products. One very popular and succesfull e-commerce
website in the Philippines today is www.b2bpricenow.com wherein
trading between parties from every part of the country had
been going on for almost four or five years. As we will encourage
Quezon farmers to take advantage of b2bpricenow.com’s
popularity, QUESO must also provide a portal which caters
to the special needs not only of our farmers but of all interested
entrepreneurs from Quezon.
This portal or website, namely www.quezon.gov.ph, intends
to provide the farmers not only a free space for posting
their products but more importanly give them assurance that
this site will perform active or agressive marketing. All
marketing expense paid. QUESO will make sure that this site
will appear on all search engines available on the planet,
monitor all transactions that occured on the website, keep
record/data of interested buyers, their interest and history
of trading; count hits and visits, keep track of the most
visited recommending sites, streamline, benchmark, and many
others.
In building an e-commerce website, QUESO must take into
consideration the following:
• Web Server - QUESO can choose between hosting its
data in a web server offered by providers in the US or in
the Philippines and maintaining its own web server. The former
has the advantage of easy maintenance or nothing of it at
all. This option however is more expensive and more difficult
to customize. The system administrator will be constantly
contacted before you can do a single change in the configuration.
Every bit of data has a corresponding cost, not to mention
the applications or techonology that is required by the language
used in programming.
Maintaning its own web server, however, would mean paying
attention into details like the following:
• Server - The hardware or a computer with an operating
system for a server. This computer will be used for this
sole purpose only.
• Internet Connection - A web server does not server
its purpose if it is not connected to the internet. A DSL
(Digital Subcriber Line) with static IP (Internet Protocol)
address will do.
• RDBMS - Or what is the database? Since this is a
dynamic website we are trying to build, we have to assume
a database of some kind, or we need to decide which type
of relationsl database system (RDBMS) we will use. It is
advised to consider a server-based database product (such
as Oracle, MySQL, or Microsoft’s SQLServer) since we
will work for a large-scale applications.
• Frontend - Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) together
with Coldfusion Markup Language or CFML (which includes SQL
of Structured Query Language and Java and Java Script compatibility)
will be the technology that is expected to use.
• Computer Programmer - He will determine the various
elements of the system and program the application. This
person will also determine the database structure (tuning
the database, adjusting indexes, scheduling maintenance,
implement network policies, and the like). In reality, this
job requires at least four (4) people. But for a single system
and a simple e-commerce project, he can also act as the project
manager.
Actually, all of these can be initially provided by the
PIMO. But as operation would go, data will surely overflow.
Although coldfusion is a multithread application which can
serve as many as 50 visitors simultaneously, the bandwidth
and the space available in the current webserver cannot accomodate
such transactions. Besides, its programmers have their respective
ongoing projects or system that are currently being pilot
tested.
This aspect, however, must not be considered
as a problem but as another business opportunity. Putting
up a website is not just a money-spending venture but in
itself a business. Besides, Mr. Edgardo Herbosa is right
when he said information technology is just a mere important
tool in doing business. That drove him to his first step:
Herbosa took in putting up B2Bpricenow.com was to present
his proposal to Unisys Philippines four years ago, which
at that time was looking for projects to help the government
alleviate poverty through information technology. Herbosa
and his partners were able to convince Unisys to take care
of the Web design, programing and hosting of the site. In
exchange, Unisys got to own 5% of B2Bpricenow.com. During
the writing of this business plan, initial meetings with
business solutions company had been made and positive responses
had been expressed. This is not just an option FOC (free-of-charge)
but will give this business a wider network and better job
focus.
We foresee then a partnership between the Provincial Government
of Quezon thru the QUESO, the technical partner who takes
care of the information technology, and the affiliate bank(s)
which will facilitate payments.
3. Coordination and Outsourcing
We believe that QUESO is one office that is unique and
will function no other government offices has done. One job
that would be exclusive of this office is the promotion of
product “clustering” or as the economists call
it, “managed asset relation.” Farmers will be
informed of the benefits they willl gain from clustering
as well as be provided with the assistance they need to implement
and facilitate the access to these benefits*, like:
• Clustering helps bring down transaction costs as
it is easier to collect products from craftsmen in the same
village and lessens the need for middlemen.
• Volume orders are cheaper to fulfill which attracts
bigger buyers from city and foreign companies.
When enterprises are united under a common product line,
they can build up their social capital then form cooperatives
for credit and whole sale purchases.
• Clustering also results in faster upgrades.
• Entrepreneurs see new techniques employed by the
most progressive in their ranks and technology is then copied.
• Allows artisans to employ division of labor like
grow the raw materials, process into goods, while the rest
apply artisan touches.
• The entrepreneurs get to share in the costs and the
risks of innovation. Allows artisans to employ division of
labor like grow the raw materials, process into goods, while
the rest apply artisan touches.
• The entrepreneurs get to share in the costs and the
risks of innovation.
QUESO is also expected to coordinate but does not limit
itself with the following agencies:
• Farmers Cooperatives - This Office will coordinate
with matters related to information dissemination, roadshows,
trainings, development program integration, providing them
of other supports and services available.
• Department of Agriculture and Provincial Agriculturist
Office - Field personnel of the Office of the Provincial
Agriculturist in coordination with DA Agribusiness and Marketing
Assistance Services and Agricultural Training Institute will
be constantly contacted to gather information from cooperatives
and farmers every harvest time or even during planting season,
an estimate of projected harvest and post them on line.
• Provincial Information Management Office - Information
techonology matters including consultation and training can
be provided by PIMO. Appropriate materials, training venue
and schedule of training should also be coordinated with
this office.
• Provincial and Municipal Planning & Development
Coordinators (MPDCs) - MPDCs having the direct access and
contact with their farmers and cooperatives are in better
place of monitoring the success/failures of the project in
their respective municipalities. They also have their existing
development programs which must align to the objectives of
this project.
• Department of Trade & Industry and Department
of Science and Techonology - These agencies have programs
that are proven to be of help during the past, not only in
the production, and packaging of farmers’ produce but
more so in marketing. E-commerce Act has assigned DTI as
one of the lead agencies in the implementation of this law.
• Partners and Affiliates
Banks. We need banks to participate in this project to
back up the cooperatives and the farmers in putting up their
business. Payment can also be facilitated by the system they
think most appropriate. Technical Partners and others. Like
the Unisys of B2Bpricenow.com who should take care of the
Web design, programing and hosting of the site.
Legal Structure
The E-Commerce for farmers cooperatives project was conceived
by F4B Group in October 2003 and plans to implement it in
first quarter of 2004. A separate office on E-Commerce will
be formed in the Provincial Government under the supervision
of the Provincial Administrator through an Executive Order
of the Provincial Governor. The four members of F4B shall
comprise the team of coordinators, supported by three staff
members.
Location
The business office QUESO will be located at the ground
floor of the Office of the Governor at the Provincial Capitol
Compound in Lucena City. It will share office space and facilities,
temporarily with the Provincial Governor’s Office.
Management
The office, created by an Executive order of the Provincial
Governor Wilfrido L. Enverga, shall be under the supervision
of the Provincial Administrator, Mrs. Evelyn S. Abeja, who
also acts as the team’s supervisor and will support
this office in the implementation management of its projects
and activities. The job description of the coordinators and
responsibilities are as follows:
• Perry Osmond, Marketing and Finance Coordinator.
• Oscar Camara, Jr., Technical Coordinator. Oscar Camara
possesses many years of Internet use experience and deep
understanding hardware and software applications.
• Zaldy Garguez, Public Relations and Linkages Coordinator.
• Luzviminda A. Torres, Agriculture and Fishery Coordinator.
An agriculturist by profession, she rose from the ranks in
the agriculture office of the government. Her varied experience
as Farm Management Technologist, Information Officer for
more than 20 years, Crop Research Development Specialist
and now as Supervising Agriculturist in the Office of Provincial
Agriculture has given her as extensive insight and understanding
of the issues and concern of agriculture and fishery sector.
Personnel A total number of employees to be added and hired initially
will be three. Interviews and screening will be conducted
for each screening. They will undergo training to be fully
equipped and knowledgeable of the business.
• Trainor
• Coordinator
• Computer Operator
Training - All employees will be cross trained in the following
areas:
a. Knowledge of product line/services and familiarity with
the process
b. Daily Sales/Transactions Reconsciliation Report
c. Office policies regarding client relations
d. E-commerce FAQs
Personnel Duties
Trainor. Must have a grasp on basic computer operation,
knowledge of agricultural profile of the province, must be
able to answer all possible e-commerce FAQs. Write training
schedule. Report directly to the project manager.
Coordinator. Coordinate with the agencies concerned. Conduct
telemarketing. Must know how to drive. Report directly to
the Project Coordinator on Marketing.
Computer Operator. Conduct internet research and create
a list of customers. Monitor transactios in the website.
Report directly to the Project Coordinator on Technical.
Employee Profile
1. Personable, outgoing, reliable, in good health
2. College background
3. High integrity and dedication
4. Neat in appearance
5. Able to take on responsibilities
6. Able to follow directives
7. Demonstrates leadership qualities
8. Previous working experience
9. Basic office skills
10. Sincere interest in e-commerce and agri-production
11. Team worker
Accounting and Legal
Accounting
The E-commerce office, being an integral part of the Provincial
Government shall be subject to according rules and procedure
accepted and protected by the Provincial Accounting Department.
The said department will handle all bookkeeping and accounting
activities.
Legal
All legal aspects of the project will be handled by the
Provincial Attorney’s Office. Contact information is
presented below:
Atty. Ariel Radovan
Provincial Attorney Office
Provincial Capitol Compound
Lucena City |