Pasay City: The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) has emphasized the need for digitalization, integration, and simplification of government processes to better serve the public.
According to Philippines News Agency, DICT Undersecretary David Almirol highlighted the government's efforts toward digital governance at the GovX.0 Summit in Pasay City. He stated that the DICT is spearheading a significant digital transformation in government transactions, addressing issues stemming from redundant systems, fragmented data, and outdated processes. He noted the substantial investment in obsolete and unsustainable systems and stressed the urgency of foundational reforms.
Almirol pointed out the existence of 1,900 government websites requiring citizens to repeatedly submit the same information across agencies, despite the implementation of a national ID system. He stressed the necessity of changing this approach and announced that the DICT has launched 25 digital platforms, with 21 already operational. These include the E-Gov Super App, designed to consolidate services such as driver's license applications, Professional Regulation Commission certifications, and e-banking into a single platform.
The DICT has also developed the E-Gov Blockchain to improve data security and transparency among various agencies. Almirol emphasized the agency's focus on simplification, standardization, and integration rather than duplication, advising that citizens should not need to resubmit verified data across different agencies.
He further explained that the agency has prioritized cloud optimization, achieving a 60 percent cost savings and eliminating underutilized infrastructure by offering centralized cloud services free of charge to government entities. Additionally, the E-Governance Act, pending approval by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., aims to raise the salaries of government ICT professionals.
Almirol reported that over 440 million transactions have been processed on DICT platforms, with 1,100 government systems integrated into the E-Gov Super App. He referenced last year's data to showcase the Philippines' progress in global digitalization rankings, moving from 80th to 49th place, surpassing Thailand and Malaysia, and achieving sixth place in the Asia Pacific Digitalization Nations Index.
The GovX.0 Summit, attended by government workers from multiple agencies, will continue until March 19.
