CALAMBA WATER DISTRICT: E-APPLICATION AS A FORM OF E-GOVERNMENT

FOR EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT PUBLIC SERVICE DELIVERY AND

MANAGEMENT

A Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School of Business,

Management and Education

PHILIPPINE CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY

TAFT Avenue, Malate, Manila
Philippines

In partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of

Master in Business Administration

By

STUDENT NAME
MARILOU AMURAO-JAMILA ID NO. 2023441664

LEO VILLARUELRESANO ID NO. 2023441665

RUBY FAJARDO-MOLINAR ID NO. 2023441669

JEFFAH FERMASIS ALOG ID. NO. 2023440960

JASMIN JOY ALBOS ID NO. 2023440876

JOYCE MAE H. DOREGNIL ID NO. 2023440880

Submitted to: Dr. NEIL BERMUDEZ

 CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

The Calamba Water District (CWD) is a government-owned and controlled

corporation that provides clean and safe water to the residents of Calamba City,
Laguna, Philippines.

The creation of The Provincial Water Utilities Act of 1973 also known as the
Presidential Decree No. 198 (PD 198) paved the way for birth of various local water
districts in the country. On August 07, 1974, the Sangguniang Bayan of Calamba,
headed by then Mayor Taciano Rizal, passed the Municipal Board Resolution No. 82
Series of 1974 in pursuant to P.D. 198 as amended which gave rise to the organization
of the CALAMBA WATER DISTRICT (CWD). Two years after, Local Water Utilities
Administration awarded the Conditional Certificate of Conformance No. 29 on
September 04, 1976 which entitled CWD to the rights and privileges authorized under
PD 198. This then pronounced the official day of CWD in carrying out its mission, which
at that time, provided service to a total of 1,100 active service connections.

In its early years, the CWD faced numerous challenges such as limited resources
and infrastructure. However, with strong leadership and support from various
stakeholders, it gradually expanded its operations and improved its services. The
construction of additional reservoirs, pumping stations, and pipelines allowed for better
distribution of water throughout Calamba City (https://cwd.com.ph/calamba_wd.html).
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

Objectives

The Calamba Water District online water application objective aims to streamline
the process of applying for water services in the district by providing an online platform
for residents to submit their applications. This research objective seeks to explore the
benefits and challenges of implementing an e-application system, as well as gather
feedback from users to improve its efficiency.

One of the main benefits of an online water application system is convenience.

By allowing residents to apply for water services from the comfort of their own homes, it
eliminates the need for them to physically visit the water district office. This not only
saves time but also reduces transportation costs and minimizes physical contact,
especially during times of public health concerns.

Another advantage is improved efficiency. With an online platform, applications

can be processed more quickly and accurately. The system can automatically validate
information provided by applicants, reducing errors and ensuring that all necessary
documents are submitted. This helps expedite the approval process and ensures a
smooth transition for new customers.

To assess the current state of public service delivery and management at

Calamba Water District.

To investigate the potential benefits and challenges associated with the

implementation of e-applications as a form of e-government.

To examine the impact of e-application implementation on the efficiency and

effectiveness of public service delivery.
 To evaluate customer satisfaction and feedback regarding the use of e-
applications in interacting with Calamba Water District.

To analyze the cost-effectiveness and resource optimization achieved through e-

application implementation.
To assess the transparency and accountability in the operations of Calamba
Water District as influenced by e-government.

To make recommendations for improvements in public service delivery and

management based on the findings of the study.

The overall purpose of the study is to investigate and provide insights into how e-
applications as a form of e-government can enhance the quality, efficiency, and
transparency of public service delivery and management at Calamba Water District.

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

Concepts of Governance

The concept of governance has been in constant debates within the realms of
social sciences in terms of its definition and approaches especially in public
administration. It became popular because it covers a broad range of institutions and
describes their connections in running those public and private groups (Katsamunska,
2016). Generally speaking, governance could pertain to ordered rules that certain group
(public or private) wishes and manages to accomplish to achieve specific and common
goals. Kjar et al. (2004) had a different interpretation of governance as the capacity of
the government to make and implement policy, in other words, to steer society. It mainly
focuses on how the government plays an essential role in the delivery of public goods
and services (top-to-bottom approach) and directing the path for political, socio-
economic and administrative affairs of a particular nation (World Bank, 1989). Boyer
(1990) expounds on governance as an interplay of the government plus – the market
(private sector) and civil society organizations. Both the private and non-government
organizations may have positive and negative contribution that may shape public policy
and management. Pierre & Peters (2000) mentioned the type of governance wherein
the community resolves their own common problems with minimal intervention from the
government referred to as communitarian governance (Government, as not government
model). Later on, the model develops into the context of good governance as a key
element of aid conditionality of country donors and international financial institutions. Its
main principle centers on participation, transparency, legal certainty, responsiveness,
accountability and efficiency. It ensures that the needs of every generation will be
sustained through curbing of corruption practices and participation of vulnerable sectors
in the policy process.

To adapt from this new normal brought about by the Covid-19 outbreak, some
government functions and activities rely on the utilization of digital technology. This
enables public administration to perform the principles of good governance and provide
quality and effective services to all despite the challenges in the management of the
health crisis.

E-government and E-governance

World Bank (2009) defined e-government (short for electronic government, also
known as, e-gov, digital government, online government or transformational
government) as the use of government agencies of information technologies (such as
Wide Area Network (WAN), the Internet, and mobile computing) that have the ability of
transform relations with the citizens, business and other arms of government.
Meanwhile, private sector utilizes also digital technology through e-business and e-
commerce to fast track the delivery of goods and services to their customers and
clients. With the same purpose, e-government intends to provide faster transactions to
the public, offer better quality services and goods, enhance cooperation with the market
and industry, expand engagement and interaction among citizens, and more efficient
public management (Bashar et al., 2011).

E-governance should not be used interchangeably with e-government since both

terms have different meaning. E-governance (short for electronic governance) tackles
the utilization of information and communication technology (ICT) across all levels of
government and public sector and beyond for the purpose of enhancing the process of
governing (Basher et al., 2011). This term could also apply to private sector and non-
government organizations (NGOs) as long as they use ICT to develop the process of
governance within their team even if without the governmental intervention.

Covid-19 pandemic serves as a window of opportunity for service providers to

maximize the potentials of this e-governance to mitigate the socio-economic impacts of
the disease. Physical distancing protocols specifically stay-at-home measures enable
different governments to implement policies using the Internet. Digital government
technologies are essential during this health crisis because it fosters rapid information
sharing about the virus and disease – its control and management, coordination among
national and local authorities, collaboration with private sectors, organizations and
volunteers for social programs, and implementation of evidence-based policies
(UNDESA, 2020). E-government works on different aspects of socio-economic activities
such as in education, payments, application processing, public works and
infrastructures, social amelioration but most importantly, in health. In South Africa,
online distance education was initiated to link teaching institutions, learners and
telecommunication service providers that enables the students and teachers to access
government websites to download learning materials and provide online classes for free
(Blom & Uwizeyimana, 2020). Some of the e-government initiatives of Singapore
particularly in health during their lockdown include launching of TraceTogether, Safe
Entry app a national digital check-in process in private establishment, and wearing of
electronic monitor for travelers from abroad (Abdou, 2021).
Problem Statements

I. How effective and efficient are the e-application and manual water service connection
method?

II. What are the issues, concerns, challenges and problems encountered by the
applicants using either the e-application or manual method of filing water application?
How will the implementers of the e-application program react or process these direct
feedbacks?

III. What are the difficulties faced by customers while navigating through the online
water application system?

IV. How these technical problems disrupt the smooth functioning of the online
application system?

HYPOTHESIS

Implementing an e-application system at Calamba Water District will not

significantly enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of public service delivery and
management.

The adoption of e-government in the form of e-applications will lead to improved

customer satisfaction with Calamba Water District’s services.

The implementation of e-government through e-applications will result in cost

savings and resource optimization for Calamba Water District.

E-application implementation will lead to reduced processing times for water

service requests and inquiries.
 The use of e-government in the form of e-applications will lead to increased
transparency and accountability in the operations of Calamba Water District.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

Public Service Improvement: This research can lead to improved public service
delivery, making it more efficient and effective. Citizens will benefit from quicker and
more transparent access to water services.

Efficiency and Cost Savings: Implementing e-applications can lead to resource

optimization, reducing costs for the Calamba Water District and potentially lowering the
financial burden on customers.

Transparency and Accountability: The study can enhance transparency in

government operations and increase accountability, leading to better governance.

E-Government Knowledge: The findings can contribute to the growing body of

knowledge on e-government applications, serving as a reference for other water
districts and government agencies looking to modernize their services.

Customer Satisfaction: Improved services and ease of access can lead to higher
customer satisfaction, which is crucial for a public service provider.
Academic and Research Community: The study can be a valuable resource for
researchers and scholars studying the impact of e-government on public service
delivery.
Policy Development: The findings can inform policy decisions related to e-
government implementation and management.

In summary, the study’s significance extends to public welfare, government

efficiency, academic research, and policy development, all of which contribute to the
betterment of society and governance.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY AND DESIGN

Although e-government has several advantages in public service delivery and

Covid-19 management, we must recognize that is not panacea. No “one-size-fits-all”
solution on the management of a public health crisis but we acknowledge its
appropriateness and relevance in shaping government policies for economic and social
resilience. Harnessing its potentials in effective and efficient public service paved the
way for the governors to develop and bridge the gaps in public administration and
management. Brown (2005) enumerated the impacts of e-government in relation to
public administration including citizen-centered service, importance of data gathering
and access to information, new skills for public administrators and its workers, and
concept of accountability and management.

This chapter contains the way on how the researchers intend to accomplish the
project. This study used a mixed-methods design through online surveys and in-depth
interviews. E-government created a space for the government itself, its citizens and the
market to interact with each other by increasing the accessibility of information, efficient
feedback mechanism to improve public service delivery, promoting transparency and
accountability to public administrators and elected officials, and making development
opportunities available.

The data collected by the researchers are protected and will be processed solely
for public service purposes in compliance with Republic Act No. 10173 or Data Privacy
Act of 2012.

CONCLUSION

The Calamba Water District online water application has proven to be a

significant development in the district's efforts to provide efficient and convenient
services to its customers. With the increasing demand for water supply and the need for
streamlined processes, the online application system has been a game-changer.
 Firstly, the online water application has greatly reduced paperwork and manual
processing. Customers can now easily apply for water connections or other related
services through the district's website. This eliminates the need for physical forms and
long queues at the district office. The online system also allows customers to track their
applications, making it more transparent and accessible.

Secondly, the online application system has improved customer satisfaction.

With just a few clicks, customers can conveniently apply for water connections anytime
and anywhere. This saves them time and effort, enhancing their overall experience with
the water district.

Furthermore, the online system promotes environmental sustainability by

reducing paper usage. By going digital, Calamba Water District is contributing to
conservation efforts and minimizing its carbon footprint.

In conclusion, the Calamba Water District online water application has

revolutionized how customers interact with their water service provider. It has simplified
processes, improved customer satisfaction, and promoted environmental sustainability.
As technology continues to advance, it is crucial for public utilities like water districts to
embrace digital solutions that enhance efficiency and convenience for their customers
while also considering environmental impact.

REFERENCES
ABDOU, A.M. (2021). Good governance and COVID-19: The digital bureaucracy to
response the pandemic (Singapore as a model). Journal of Public Affairs.
https.//doi.org/10.1002/pa.2656

BLOM, P. & UWIZEYIMA, D.E. (2020). Assessing the Effectiveness of e-Government

and e-Governance in South Africa: During National Lockdown 2020. Research in World
Economy, 11(5), 208-219. https://doi.org/10.5430/rwe.v11n5p208
BROWN, D. (2005). Electronic government and public administration. International
Review of Administrative Sciences, 71(2), 241-254.

Calamba Water District History, https://cwd.com.ph/calamba_wd.html

Digital government services, https://granicus.com/dictionary/digital-government-

services/

Digitalization of Public Service Delivery in Asia,

https://www.apo-tokyo.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Digitalization-of-Public-Service-
Delivery-in-Asia-final-1.pdf

KATSAMUNSKA, P. (2016). The Concept of Governance and Public Governance

Theories. Economic Alternatives, (2), 133-141.

KJAR, A.M. (2004). Governance.Polity Press, UK.