SBMA expects to save P12.5M with paperless management system

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority expects to save as much as P12.5 million in operating and capital expenses this year with the implementation of a paperless document management system, the agency said in a statement Monday. The Structured Archive and Retrieval System (SARS) facilitates digital archiving and retrieval of office documents and forms. SARS scans and stores memoranda, letters and forms, with delivery and distribution to addressee-departments and employees done through the SBMA’s Google-powered corporate e-mail accounts. Marlo Zerrudo, officer in charge of the SBMA Information Technology Department, said  that only documents and forms that require officials' signatures are printed for hard copies, enabling the agency to save on paper, printer toner, and photocopying services. In preparation for the full use of the system, each SBMA department has been assigned two document management officers who have been trained to use the system and are now responsible for their department’s document flow. “With this system, the agency can enjoy cost savings of up to P12.5 million in operating and capital expenses this year,” Zerrudo said. "With this system in place, we now have easy and faster access to high-quality and reliable information in support of more responsive decision-making and service delivery," SBMA chairman and administrator Roberto Garcia said in a statement. Since the implementation of SARS in May of this year, close to five gigabytes of the SBMA’s official documents and forms have been stored digitally in the system. — BM, GMA News