The Philippines is officially transitioning to e-governance following the signing into law the E-Governance Act (Republic Act No. 12254) on 5 September by Philippines President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., which will accelerate the digital transformation of the Philippines, according to reports.
This will be achieved by streamlining government processes and enhancing transparency through a national framework for a unified digital government system, EGov Unified Project Management Office (EGov UPMO), amongst other measures. The legislation has designated the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) as lead implementing body and administrator of the law. It has one year to establish the system which is tasked to ensure that ICT projects in the government are efficiently managed.
In addition, the DICT will also formulate an E-Government masterplan, which will serve as a blueprint for the development and enhancement of all electronic government service processes for example, by enabling data sharing and collaboration between agencies for better service integration as well as reducing red tape. The comprehensive framework reportedly covers all executive, legislative, judicial, and constitutional offices, including local government units (LGUs), state universities and colleges (SUCs), government-owned or-controlled corporations (GOCCs), and other agencies. The framework will also promote innovation, support start-ups, and facilitate the entry and adoption of technologies into the country.
As part of the digitalization efforts, the DICT is tasked with creating an electronic payment facility and gateway that will enable citizens and businesses to transact electronically with the government. The government also plans to go paperless through the implementation of digital certificates and remote approvals.
However, there are significant challenges to implementing the digital transformation, according to reports. They include the digital divide, infrastructure gaps in remote areas, data privacy concerns, and the need for improved digital literacy among citizens.
