The National Economic and Development (NEDA)-Regional Development Group (RDG) recently launched information and communication technology (ICT) tools that will be useful in troubleshooting problems in the supply chain for goods and production inputs, and in planning supply chain-related interventions during and post coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.
In a statement over the weekend, NEDA said the ICT tools are called Supply Chain Analytics (SCAn) Dashboard and SCAn Reporter.
The SCAn Dashboard has five key components—incident reports, trip videos for major selected routes, survey of supply chain issues coming from supply chain players, links to other government dashboards, and summary information on the domestic and Asia-Pacific supply chain environment.
NEDA said the information contained in the SCAn Dashboard is vital to both the government and the private sector, as the dashboard informs government agencies and industry associations of ground-level issues that need to be addressed to ensure that the flow of goods and inputs is unhampered.
The SCAn Reporter, on the other hand, is an app that is downloadable to smartphones and can help “reporters” of supply chain problems submit information to the SCAn Dashboard so that such problems can be addressed by concerned authorities.
Information that can be submitted through the app include type of reporter (public servant, transport service, concerned citizen, worker, company and industry association) and incident type (real-time quarantine control point problem, permit-related problem, regulations, goods overpricing, and real-time road closures, traffic and accidents).
Photos and videos can also be uploaded in the incident report before submission. If the incident reporter is an industry association member, he or she will be directed to the survey of supply chain issues.
“The initiative started as a mere thought experiment on my part but I would have to give credit to the technical team of the University of the Philippines Public Administration Research and Extension Services Foundation-Regulatory Reform Support Program for National Development (UPPAF-Respond) for its excellent execution,” NEDA Undersecretary for Regional Development Adoracion Navarro said.
“The UPPAF- Respond is currently providing technical assistance to the NEDA-RDG for supply chain-related undertakings,” Navarro added
By Anna Leah E. Gonzales
