IfG.CC -
Institute for eGovernment

"The Commission on Audit [COA] is not technically capable to conduct a technical audit on all these ICT projects that were conceived with a good objective but implemented with selfish motives. With the President's slogan of 'Kung walang corrupt, walang mahirap,' it is high time that we do something about this unseen corruption," said Jade Deocampo Deinla, an information technology expert who was a Commission on Elections consultant until he got into trouble with poll body chief Sixto Brillantes Jr.

The Joint Foreign Chambers (JFC) has backed the proposal now forming part of the Comprehensive Tax Reform Package requiring the use of e-invoices and e-receipts in commercial transactions between registered companies, their customers and the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).

In a position paper submitted to the House Committee on Ways and Means, the foreign chambers said the Philippines should optimize its use of digital technology when addressing merchant red tape and transaction flows in the country.

The private sector should take a more proactive role in driving the digital transformation in public schools through the Department of Education (DepEd)’s Adopt-a-School Program, according to think tank Stratbase Institute.

“The digital transformation of our public schools is no longer an option but an urgent necessity. Modernizing our ICT infrastructure, ensuring reliable broadband connectivity, and equipping our teachers with digital skills are foundational steps to elevate our students’ learning competencies,” Victor Andres Manhit, president of the Stratbase Institute, said.

Full digitalization for government transactions will prevent corruption and cybersecurity-related issues, the tandem of Partido Reporma chairman and standard-bearer Panfilo Lacson and running mate, Senate President Vicente Sotto III, maintained.

Lacson and Sotto supported the futuristic programs implemented by their ally, Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, in the country’s summer capital.

The government was urged to prioritize the fast implementation of the National Broadband Plan to accelerate economic recovery.

The president of independent think tank Stratbase Albert del Rosario Institute (ADRi), Prof. Dindo Manhit, said this is critical in meeting the increasing demand for reliable and fast broadband services that all sectors need to sustain operations.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino (4PH) Program" master plan supports the development of smart cities, specifically its component on township development.

This was highlighted by Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar in his keynote speech during The Business World x The FREEMAN Forum in Cebu City on Friday.

Gearing up for its long-term development plans, the Provincial Development Council (PDC) of Bohol held its first full council meeting on Thursday, Dec. 15.

Bohol Gov. Aris Aumentado, council chairman, presided over the meeting in which the goal to transform the province into a “smart city” was discussed.

Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Undersecretary Eliseo Rio Jr. on Tuesday said Filipinos will feel a big improvement in telecommunications (telco) services nationwide come 2020.

“Our program for 2020 is that before the end of next year, our people will feel a very big improvement in our telecommunications services nationwide,” Rio said during ‘The Presser’ of the Presidential Communication Operations Office (PCOO) attended by key clusters of the executive branch at the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) building in Quezon City.

This was according to the Commission on Elections (Comelec), which urged Manila residents of voting age to flock to Rizal Park today and register. The poll body is currently conducting a nationwide list-up campaign dubbed "Walkah-Walkah: Step Juan Tungo sa Mulat na Botante."

Starting a business to require only 6 steps, 8 days

Twelve government agencies have committed to implement reforms meant to help improve the ease of doing business in the Philippines as the country seeks to boost not only its rankings in global competitiveness reports, but also the capacity of the local micro, small- and medium-sized enterprises.

The reforms would primarily address two main problem areas—starting a business and paying taxes—as identified in many global competitiveness reports such as the the Ease of Doing Business Report by the World Bank-International Finance Corp., according to Guillermo M. Luz, co-chair for the private sector of the National Competitivenes Council (NCC).

More than 150,000 voters in the Ilocos Region may not be able to vote next year unless they undergo biometric registration in October, poll officials said yesterday.

Commission on Elections (Comelec) assistant regional director Reddy Balarbar said among the provinces with a large number of voters without biometric data were Pangasinan with 95,742; La Union, 20,922; Ilocos Sur, 13,167, and Ilocos Norte, 26,363.

Balarbar said the number is based on data submitted during the election registration board hearing in July, which result was released in August.

A satellite-based e-health platform was installed in the rural hospital of German Doctors for Developing Countries in Buda, Marilog District, Davao City.

Launched last Friday in a press briefing at the Seda-Abreeza Hotel, the e-health solution dubbed as Satmed was made possible by SES, a Luxembourg-based satellite operator in partnership with the Luxembourg Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs.

But this time, the NBN will have a new name--the Government Broadband Network (GBN), Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Mario Montejo told Sun.Star late last month.

Montejo also confirmed that the Aquino administration has expressed interest in connecting government offices through high-speed broadband Internet.

Ffee public Wi-Fi has been installed in 50 of the 80 barangays in Cebu City, enabling city residents to access government services and information.

This, after the Cebu City Goverment partnered with private telecommunications company PLDT to roll out free public Wi-Fi services in the 80 barangays across the city.

Biometrics refer to voter’s photograph, fingerprints, and signature digitally taken using the data capture machine (DCM) at the municipal and city Commission on Elections (Comelec) offices.

“Based on records, we have around 67,000 registrants without biometrics; of these, 30,000 are from General Santos City,” Atty. Gerada said.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has advised the registered voters in Zamboanga del Sur to validate their data with the election office immediately as the deadline for validation and registration nears.

The deadline for the validation and registration of voters is on October 31 this year.

Zamboanga del Sur election supervisor Jossil Macute said that 38,440, which represents 7.17 percent of the total 496,180 registered voters in the province, do not have biometrics.

Jimenez said most of these voters, who had registered in 2004, should visit election offices for the recording of their biometrics data consisting of the registrant's picture and computer-recorded fingerprint and signature.

Bohol election officer and lawyer Eliso Labaria issued this alarm as the Commission on Elections (Comelec) is set to re-open its continuing registration for new voters and revalidation or reactivation of old voters starting May 6, 2014 to October 31, 2015.

But according to the Comelec officer, I have no use for it since my picture was already printed beside my name in the voters’ list.

I didn’t have to bring out any of my ID cards from my wallet that was bulging, not with a wad of money, but with SSS, GSIS, driver’s license, S and R, SM Advantage, senior citizen’s, and company ID cards.

Aboitiz InfraCapital’s LIMA Estate, the leading smart and sustainable industrial-anchored estate in Asia, has clinched the Smart City Award at the inaugural ESGBusiness Awards, held at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore. This accolade recognizes LIMA Estate’s efforts in seamlessly integrating innovation with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles into its smart city initiatives—driven by a strong commitment to transform Lipa-Malvar, Batangas into a thriving, next-generation economic hub.

Through strategic partnerships with global urban infrastructure experts and Aboitiz Data Innovation, LIMA Estate has successfully implemented a comprehensive suite of smart city features, that focuses on enhancing the liveability, resilience, and sustainability of its community.