IfG.CC -
Institute for eGovernment

To improve ease of doing business in the Philippines, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is committed to strengthening its e-governance and e-services initiatives that cater to the local business sector.

In the Doing Business 2020 report by the World Bank, the Philippines climbed to the 95th spot with 62.8 points from its 124th spot with 57.68 points in 2019. The 2021 report by the World Bank is expected to be released in the coming months.

Sen. Ralph Recto, who has just won his reelection bid in the Senate, has hailed the creation of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) as a “revolutionary act” that will lay the groundwork for the country’s transformation into a full-pledged electronic republic. “With the creation of this department, the government can now focus on promoting digital literacy, ICT expertise, and knowledge-building among citizens to better equip them in an evolving ICT age,” Recto said.

Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto hailed the creation of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) as a "revolutionary act" that will lay the groundwork for the country's transformation into a full-pleged electronic republic.

"With the creation of this department, the government can now focus on promoting digital literacy, information and communications technology (ICT) expertise, and knowledge-building among citizens to better equip them in an evolving ICT age," Recto said.

In his second State of the Nation Address, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. had emphasised the need to digitalise government services, positioning it as a key element of his ten-point agenda for the nation’s economic renewal and growth.

“Digitalisation is the call of today; not of the future – but of the present. It is here. It is needed, and it is needed today,” he declared.

A digital and globally competitive nation by 2040?

Information and Communications Technology Anna Mae Lamentillo said the DICT is working hand in hand with other government agencies to attain a shared goal: to make the Philippines a “prosperous middle class and globally competitive society” by 2040.

“We are creating and implementing both mid-term and long-term plans for digital transformation across government sectors through improved interoperability and collaboration across the government ecosystems,” said Lamentillo in a business forum on Tuesday, Jan. 31.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in the Philippines revealed that it will be making a full shift towards all-digital payments by February 1, 2023.

The general public residing in the Southeast Asian country will be using the eSPAYSEC that was introduced in March 2022, in order to complete the payment of fees and penalties to the Commission.

If Filipinos are active online—and we are indeed among the most active on this globally—then the Philippine government ought to be, too. Thankfully (and perhaps surprisingly for some), it is. One online site that has become quite active lately is the Presidential Communications (Government of the Philippines) Facebook page, one of the government’s online tools for disseminating information, messages, and official announcements. The government’s official online presence is mainly via www.gov.ph, the Official Gazette and the web portal of the Philippines’ e-government. This is operated, maintained, and administered by the iGovPhil (i.gov.ph) Project under the former Information and Communication Technology Office, now the Department of ICT.

DTI products from the project, One Town, One Product (OTOP) will soon be available on the said e-commerce app. At the same time, DTI will make Negosyo Centers accessible to clients of DOST and allow clients to display and dispatch their products through its payment and logistic partners in the OTOP HubStores.

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) in the Philippines have joined hands to help micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) expand their market reach online through the OneSTore.ph platform.

In an interview with FutureGov, Dr Manalastas accused the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and Smartmatic-Total Information Management, the vendor consortium that won the contract three months ago, of using delaying tactics to avoid releasing the source code, which he says is necessary to trial the technology and ultimately ensure a fair election.

The eGovPH app represents a significant step in the Philippines' digital transformation, providing citizens a powerful platform to streamline their interactions with various government services. Launched in collaboration with HID Global and FMC Research Solutions Inc., the app integrates HID's goID Software Development Kit (SDK) to ensure it meets ISO 23220 standards for global interoperability. This technology allows Filipinos, especially overseas workers, to securely store and use their digital National ID and other government-issued documents in countries that adhere to the same ISO standards.

While it offers many advantages, citizens need to weigh the benefits against the risks before deciding whether to use it now or wait until further refinements are made.

Partnership between DICT and National Library of the Philippines to establish Tech4ED Centers in 1,000 public libraries nationwide and integration of Tech4ED into 36 internet cafes in Davao city

Yesterday, a partnership was announced between the Department of Science and Technology–Information and Communications Technology Office (DOST-ICTO, now the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT)), and the National Library of the Philippines (NLP) to establish Tech4ED Centers in up to 1,000 public libraries nationwide. The signing of the Memorandum of Agreement was led by Blesila Velasco, Chief of the Public Libraries Division, NLP and Bettina Quimson, Deputy Executive Director for eSociety, DOST-ICT Office.

At the CyberPress Forum held recently at the iAcademy auditorium in Makati City, experts from the industry said ICT is transforming the way health care is provided in the country for both the under-funded public health facilities and state-of-the-art private medical centers and hospitals.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is urging foreign investors to take advantage of investment opportunities in the Philippines amid the country’s rapid digital transformation.

BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno said the introduction of new technology and knowledge transfer would boost the competitiveness of local banks and expand access to new markets through partnerships and tie-ups.

Filipinos, especially those in metropolitan areas, may fully enjoy 24/7 free Wi-Fi access nationwide this December.

The Department of Science and Technology’s Free Wi-Fi Internet Access in Public Places project will be fully implemented within this year.

In yesterday’s House Committee on Appropriations deliberation on the proposed P17.9-billion budget of the Department of Science and Technology for 2016, Undersecretary Louis Casambre of the Information and Communications Technology Office said the project, that was launched last July, is now 25 percent complete, covering 7,118 sites in 967 municipalities and 43 cities.

The e-governance program envisions a new generation that are creators rather than just consumers of digital content, allowing Filipinos to be more knowledgeable on ICT and also adept in it. The PDS (Philippine Digital Strategy) is moving to achieve transparency and improve organizational, inter-governmental coordination, personnel management as well as addressing educational capacity issues.

In general, Uy envisions a new generation of Filipinos that transition from becoming merely consumers of technology and its products to becoming creators that help to build and improve on technology that results in improved personal productivity. The Philippine Digital Strategy (PDS) will hopefully bring better education and stronger economies as well as a better quality of life for all Filipinos. Uy goals include creating a high level leadership, upgrade and improve the government's IT infrastructure; and improving intergovernmental coordination to enhance government services.

The theme of the first e-Governance Forum is: “Public Service 2.0: From e-Government to e-Governance,” organized by the Chief Information Officers Forum (CIOF), the CIOF Foundation (CIOFF), the Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT), and the e-Governance for Efficiency and Effectiveness (E3) Project.

According to Alejandro Melchor III, deputy executive director for ICT industry development at the ICTO, the “Smarter Philippines” consists of the following components: Smarter Governance, Smarter People, Smarter High-Tech Industry, Smarter Computing, Smarter SMEs, Smarter Agriculture World Development, Smarter Environmental Healthcare, Energy and Transport, Smarter Disaster and Mitigation, Public Safety and Smarter Cities.