MANILA – People’s access to government services is getting easier and faster as the Marcos administration steps up the country’s digital infrastructure and revs up e-governance under the banner of its Bagong Pilipinas initiative.
Significant strides have been achieved by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) in establishing robust digital foundations that enable better and faster government service delivery and increased connectivity across the archipelago.
“The overall master plan of our digitalization has four segments: connectivity, e-governance, cybersecurity, and workforce development,” said DICT Secretary Ivan John Uy.
Effective governance through connectivity
One of the key digital-infrastructure projects of the DICT is GovNet, an initiative under the National Broadband Plan (NBP) that provides high-speed Internet connectivity to government agencies, schools, and hospitals, with the goal of strengthening data sharing and collaboration.
In Davao City alone, 122 government offices are now connected through the network, while Ilocos Norte is set to complete its GovNet link with 85 government agencies by May 2025, just in time for the elections.
The program establishes fiber-to-building connections with up to 10Gbps of bandwidth, enabling more efficient digital government transactions.
“This initiative helps government offices in one area communicate and provide support to one another while helping streamline public services and promote efficient governance,” DICT Assistant Secretary Philip Varilla said at the soft launch of GovNet in Davao City.
Varilla noted that 721 government agencies, schools, and hospitals across Mindanao were linked by GovNet as of October 2024.
The DICT is responsible for implementing and maintaining GovNet infrastructure, which includes providing the fiber-optic networks, free public Wi-Fi services, and other peripherals that allow offices to communicate.
Government online services modernize public access
The DICT is responsible not only for managing and maintaining government online services, but also improving them and enabling their innovation.
To that end, the Department has undertaken several initiatives, including consolidation of service provision under one app, as well as enabling data sharing among agencies to eliminate redundant requests and storage of citizen information.
The eGovPH app is the cornerstone of both of these initiatives. It integrates some 30 government agencies, allowing citizens to access multiple government services via mobile devices while only entering their information once.
“We’re simplifying government transactions,” Secretary Uy explained.
“If the government already has your information in its computer system, you shouldn’t have to repeatedly fill out the same details across different agencies.”
He added that the eGovPH app implements advanced security measures including facial recognition, biometrics, and blockchain technology to protect user data.
One of the highlights of the eGovPH platform is the eTravel subsystem, which greatly speeds up immigration and customs processing for international travelers, both Filipinos and foreigners, at the ports of arrival or departure.
The eTravel system was originally introduced as a limited web-based platform in December 2022, before being fully institutionalized by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in August 2024, through Administrative Order (AO) 24.
Today, it is integrated directly into the eGovPH app.
Another standout feature is the eLGU system, which provides citizens convenient access to various local-government systems, ranging from local registration to tax processing.
The DICT will continue to develop eGovPH, said Sec. Uy, as he revealed that the Department is working on artificial intelligence capabilities for the app that will allow it to communicate with citizens in their local languages.
Reducing risks and managing disasters better
Per National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) Memorandum Circular No. 01, S. 2019, the DICT is empowered to be the lead government agency of the Emergency Telecommunications Cluster (ETC), an inter-agency task force that provides telecommunications services to support timely and effective disaster response.
As part of its leadership of the ETC, DICT has strengthened its disaster preparedness and response capabilities through strategic deployment of communication assets.
The department has installed Very Small Aperture Terminals (VSAT) in critical locations nationwide, ensuring connectivity during emergencies and disasters.
These VSAT devices are small ground stations that employ satellite networks to transmit and receive data, voice, and video signals.
Because they don’t depend on terrestrial data connections—which may be interrupted during storms, earthquakes and other natural disasters—they are invaluable tools for emergency response.
In Central Visayas alone, 20 strategic locations now have VSAT installations, including the Office of Civil Defense in Cebu, and the local Department of Social Welfare and Development.
“Communication is aid,” said Engineer Ira Bermudo, DICT Region 7 (DICT-7) DRRM focal person. “Without communication, we cannot assess what needs to be distributed to affected areas or provide appropriate response. How can we provide response or aid if we cannot actually get the essential information from the ground?”
Meanwhile, the DICT-Cordillera Administrative Region (DICT-CAR), maintains eight VSAT units in provincial and city disaster-risk-reduction and management offices, in addition to high-speed Starlink kits.
Global recognition and future direction
The Philippines has seen marked improvement in its global digital rankings under the current administration.
According to Sec. Uy, the country’s cybersecurity rating has risen from 73 to 93.5 points, even as it got higher rankings in e-participation and e-governance metrics.
Stressed Sec. Uy: “Digitalization is a strategy to elevate our fellow citizens in remote areas and make them part of the country’s economic growth. Not just in Metro Manila, but the whole country. Our President’s mandate is that no Filipino should be left behind. And so one mandate and objective of the DICT is to bring that aspiration of our President to every Filipino.”
The DICT continues to expand these initiatives, with particular focus on reaching geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDA).
Through these efforts, the department aims to create more inclusive access to government services and economic opportunities for all Filipinos, regardless of their location.
These efforts comprise but a few of the groundbreaking initiatives across different agencies and sectors that the Marcos administration is prioritizing to better service the Filipino people.
