Student Guide

HOW BANTAY WORKS: FIRST-EVER SOCIAL PROTECTION CHATBOT IN THE PHILIPPINES

Find out how this Youth-led NGO aims to bridge the social welfare gap using virtual assistant technology.

ANGELICA FLORES JUAN / 31 October 2021

What is BANTAY?

BANTAY is a 24/7 Facebook messenger virtual assistant that gives the public free legal consultations and proper understanding of the government’s social welfare program such as the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) and concern for social pensions of senior citizens.

One of the chatbot’s primary objectives is to generate an accountability report highlighting problems and inefficiencies in government programs and submit it to the government.

BANTAY is a project led by GoodGovPH which is a non-partisan and non-government organization.

How does BANTAY work?

Follow these four easy steps:

  1. Visit BANTAY’s Facebook Page.
  2. Start a conversation, send a message, and click “Get started”.
  3. Answer automated questions.

Currently, questions are formatted in Filipino, but users can also opt for the Taglish version. The management aforementioned that Bantay Chatbot will also be available in different languages and dialects in the future.

  1. For further concerns, go to “Other inquiries”.

Photo courtesy of GoodGovPH

BANTAY’s functions are very similar to other virtual assistant bots in the market. Usually, these bots are used for e-commerce. With innovation, these can now be used in other forms such as non-government initiatives like Bantay Chatbot. This is a good use of technology that promotes two-way interaction. The advantage of two-way communication is that it is always followed by feedback from the receiver to the sender, informing the sender that the message was correctly received which positively affects user’s satisfaction.

Photo courtesy of GoodGovPH

#MayBantayNa

The good thing about BANTAY is it can tell if a person is eligible for an assistance program or not. At this time of crisis, where many Filipinos lost their jobs and relied on government aid, BANTAY’s assistance is important.

GoodGovPH Inc. is a youth-led movement for good governance in the Philippines. It champions the principles of good governance through advocacy campaigns, alliance-building, governance education, community collaboration, and innovation. GoodGovPH has achieved numerous milestones since it was founded. It has mobilized over 100 core members, implemented over 20 projects, partnered with over 50 organizations, and engaged over 2,000 people nationwide through our Bantay Bayan initiative. Last year, GoodGovPH was named as one of the Philippines’ Ten Accomplished Youth Organizations for 2020.