Congress was pressed to frontload passage of the proposed E-Governance Law, embodied in Senate Bill 1738 filed by Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go with proponents projecting early enactment of the enabling law will “fast-track private and public transactions” through digitalization billed to boost economic recovery.
To be known as the E-Governance Act of 2020 once enacted into law, Go noted that digitalization will be “crucial in business, job creation and economic recovery.”
In a news statement, the administration senator stressed the need to digitalize government processes and transactions as the country adapts to the new normal towards pandemic recovery.
Citing a recent survey affirming that vast majority of Filipinos believe digital technology can improve business and employment creation, the senator said, “We need e-governance to provide our people with services they need from the comfort of their homes or workplaces,” adding that “not only shall it enable our bureaucracy to better transition into the ‘new normal’ but it will also cut or minimize red tape and corruption.”
Go noted a survey conducted by Social Weather Stations for the Stratbase ADR Institute for Strategic and International Studies in October this year, noting, “about 89 percent of Filipinos recognized the advantage of digital technology in the creation of jobs and businesses.”
The senator added it also showed the respondents agree “more overwhelmingly,” with 94 percent agreeing that digitalization has a lot of advantages, according to the research group.
At the same time, he observed that 92 percent of the respondents said the Duterte government should “create, upgrade and expand” the country’s digital infrastructure to increase speed, dependability and access across the country.
The senator also noted that about 82 percent, on the other hand, agreed that “government and private sector collaboration” could boost the growth of the economy.
Go also recalled filing in July 2020, Senate Bill 1738, also known as the E-Governance Act of 2020, mandating the government to establish an integrated, interconnected, and interoperable information and resource-sharing and communications network spanning the entirety of the national and local government, an internal records management information system, an information database, and digital portals for the delivery of public services.
As provided in Go’s bill, the government, both national and local, can also enter into contracts, agreements, or partnerships with the private sector to provide various resources, assets, and services in order to comply or enhance compliance with the provisions of the proposed law, adding that “all contracts or agreements with the private sector will be subject to the laws and rules on public accountability and transparency and good governance.”
The remedial legislation, likewise, provides for the digitization of paper-based and other traditional modes of workflows for a more efficient and transparent public service.
Go observed that the transition of the government to the digital age has been a long time coming. “In an age where almost everything can be done online and through other digital platforms, the government must harness the power of information and communications technology to better serve its purpose and bring the government closer to the people,” Go said.
Reminding that the “whole world is adjusting,” he added: “Nag-evolve na rin ang operasyon ng pribadong sektor. Hindi dapat mapag-iwanan ang serbisyo mula gobyerno. Gamitin natin ang teknolohiya upang mabigyan ng mas komportableng buhay ang mga Pilipino.”
Go likewise observed that the Covid-19 pandemic “highlighted gaps, both foreseen and unforeseen, in the delivery of government services in the country,” noting that major government social services and programs are also being forced to shut down, “limiting the public’s accessibility to public services at a time when the same are needed the most.”
“The new normal warrants the government to consider and adopt, in a very radical but pragmatic way, the importance of digital transformation and use of electronic services and platforms to enable the government to do better,” Go added.
In support of this endeavor, the senator said that his measure aims to promote such transition to digitalization, eliminating delays and other problems associated with the traditional way of governance in communications and resource and information sharing, stressing that “more importantly, the public will feel that the government is actually and truly at their fingertips.”