The e - barangay project seeks to provide access to ICT among unconnected and underserved communities, establish a one-stop information resource center for the community using tested, state-of-the art methods of organizing, sharing and communicating information and develop programs and applications relevant and useful to their needs. Such applications may encompass long-distance education, telemedicine, electronic commerce, assistance to small businesses and microcredit enterprises, trade, tourism and crafts, environmental management, new mechanisms for popular participation, and women and youth empowerment.

As a community based project, e - barangay aims to develop and implement a flexible, local approach to community development using ICT to promote connectivity, access, capacity-building and productivity, delivery of basic services, information networking and cultural sharing, resource mobilization, economic opportunities and generally contribute in the social and economic upliftment of the barangays through the maximum use of various ICT development applications. Empowerment of the community is its ultimate goal.

Often referred to as telecenters, the project represents a unique platform to provide community access to the internet and through it a panoply of electronic information and knowledge. It is a tool for transforming the barangays as active participants in nation-building by enabling communities to benefit from lifelong learning, and engagement in sustainable livelihood (e.g. agriculture, fisheries, trade and commerce, etc.). Aside from fostering a sense of community spirit and solidarity and enhancing popular participation with the barangays as government's vanguards in dealing with the citizenry, the project represents a novel apporach to spur economic activities in the barangays. Linking communities to the global economy will create new opportunities for growth, livelihood and jobs.

This project is piloted in eight (8) barangays in Cebu City, namely: Basak-Pardo, Lahug, Apas, Hippodromo, Carreta, Luz, Kamputhaw and Mabolo.

The e - barangay project brings together the comparative strengths of various agencies and organizations involved in the ICT sector in Cebu. These are the Central Visayas Information Sharing Network Foundation, Inc. (CVISNet), the Ayala Foundation, Inc. (AFI), the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), the Center for Industrial Technology Enterprise (CITE), the Philippine Information Agency (PIA), the Cebu City Government, the World Corps, Global Mind, Globe Isla Communications, Cebu Business Park and Neighboring Barangay Altruistic Alliance, Inc. (CBP-NBAAI) and the RITECC.

This project builds on existing infrastructure, initiatives and programs of government, civil society organizations, private sector and the industry.

E - barangay services range from that of a calling office, an Internet café, a computer processing center, a reading and training resource center and a place for people to interact. The e - barangay is a venue for creating barangay information, as well as subject-specific Philippine information, in particular those on health, education, agriculture and rural enterprise development.

Bringing in the rural communities into the mainstream of development; narrowing the gap between the information haves and information have-nots; broadening access to technology to strengthen livelihood and enterprise development; contributing to people empowerment, that is, helping communities achieve self-reliance; making use of the advances of information and communication technologies to create sustainable development and to convert human knowledge to progress are among the challenges that the project envisions to help address for the benefit of the underserved and unserved Filipinos in the barangays.

The project intends to harness the potential of ICT for development, reduce poverty and empower those who are currently marginalized. This can be done through mobilizing resources by collaborating and forging strategic partnership with the government, non-government organizations and the industry.