Over 60,000 minutes saved in processing SLB applications

About 4,000 UPLB students use the automated Student Loan Board (SLB) system each semester since June 2013. With this system, it takes only about two minutes to process a loan application whereas it takes about ten minutes to process an application manually. The service upgrade result-ed to shorter and faster queues at the Office of Student Affairs.

In the past two semesters, there are about 8,000 applications processed using the automated system. Saving about eight minutes per application, the total time saved is approximately 64,000 minutes.

The automated SLB system was developed in-house under the Communications and Information Technology (COMMIT) unit. The system did not only remain costless but has also helped minimize overall expenses through paperless practices and increased work efficiency.

The system, nationally known as LINK APP: Linked Independent Kiosks for Application Processing, was presented in the National Conference on Information Technology Education (NCITE) in October 25, 2013. It also won the Best Paper Award for Information Systems.

Being branded as "offline is okay," LINK APP processes loan applications even if power is unstable or Internet connection is intermittent. The award-winning system will continue to serve UPLB students in the succeeding semesters with its architecture gradually being implemented to other OSA systems.