In a significant move to further streamline business processes and improve public service delivery, the DILG Pateros Field Office hosted a collaborative meeting with key national agencies to discuss the potential integration of the Bureau of Fire Protection’s (BFP) Electronic Fire Safety Inspection System (eFSIS) with the Department of Information and Communications Technology’s (DICT) eLGU platform at the Pateros Municipal Hall on April 15, 2025.
Mayor Miguel F. Ponce III opened the session, welcoming national partners and expressing his support for initiatives that promote transparency, efficiency, and ease of doing business in the municipality. “Through partnerships like this, we can provide faster and more reliable services to our constituents”, Mayor Ponce said.
DILG-NCR Regional Director Maria Lourdes L. Agustin, CESO III, in her opening remarks, emphasized the importance of inter-agency collaboration in ensuring that modernization efforts are inclusive and sustainable. “Working together allows government agencies to deliver more coordinated, effective, and long-term solutions to the challenges of the community,” she mentioned.
The highlight of the event was the comprehensive presentation of the Electronic Fire Safety Inspection System or the eFSIS, delivered by SINSP Francis Mason from the BFP National Headquarters. Launched in December 2024, eFSIS is an online platform that allows business owners to apply for Fire Safety Inspection Certificates (FSIC) and Building Safety Inspection Certificates (BSIC) from the comfort of their homes. It simplifies the process of securing these crucial safety permits—an essential requirement for business operations—by enabling online submission of documents, digital assessment, and remote issuance of certificates.
SSUPT Andre Mendova, BFP Deputy Director for Fire Safety Enforcement, provided an overview of the system’s functions, which include document completeness checking, automated fee assessment, online inspection scheduling, and digital certificate issuance. He emphasized that eFSIS not only reduces bureaucratic red tape but also aligns with the provisions of Republic Act No. 11032 (Ease of Doing Business Law) and RA 9514 (Fire Code of the Philippines).
DICT Program Manager Rene Jane Buena then led the discussion on the possible integration of eFSIS into the eLGU system, a DICT’s flagship platform for streamlining local government services such as business permits and licensing. The integration would allow seamless data sharing between agencies, real-time status tracking, and improved transparency in business permit processing.
DILG Bureau of Local Government Development Director Anna Liza Bonagua, CESO III, led the discussion on the Ways Forward, outlining actionable steps for pilot testing, and system alignment. She emphasized the importance of inclusivity and capacity-building for LGU personnel to ensure effective system adoption. Dir. Bonagua also highlighted the four phases which an LGU should comply with in the process of the digitization, to wit: streamlining, integration, automation, and rationalization of fees and charges.
Municipal Administrator Angelus Dela Peña-Ponce closed the program by reaffirming Pateros’ commitment to innovation and good governance. “We are proud to be part of this digital transition. The integration of eFSIS with our eLGU system represents not just efficiency, but a genuine effort to serve our people better,” Ms. Dela Peña-Ponce said.
The event, which was held at the Pateros Municipal Hall, gathered officials and representatives from the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Office of the Undersecretary for Local Government (OUSLG) Bureau of Local Government Development (BLGD), and other key Department Heads of the Municipality of Pateros, to align efforts toward digital transformation in government services. Also present during the meeting are DILG Pateros Municipal Local Government Operations Officer Charlotte G. Publico, Local Government Capability Development Division Acting Division Chief Luigi DC Pilarta, BFP Pateros Chief Allan Floresca and other BFP officers and personnel.
Through this joint effort, the Municipality of Pateros moves closer to becoming a model of digital and citizen-focused local governance where safety, efficiency, and accountability work together.
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