Senator Christopher "Bong" Go hailed President Marcos’ signing of the E-Governance Act, which institutionalized a unified digital platform for government services.
Go said that the Republic Act (RA) No. 12254, which he co-authored, was a “step toward faster and more accessible public services using information technology".
The measure mandates the creation of a Unified E-Governance Project Management Office under the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to oversee the integration of digital systems across government agencies.
It also requires an updated E-Government Master Plan and the establishment of standards for data security and privacy.
Go says the law aims to reduce red tape and make government transactions easier for ordinary citizens by bringing more services online.
“Mas magiging madali para sa mga kababayan natin ang pakikipagtransaksyon sa gobyerno kung mabilis at maayos ang mga sistema (It is going to be easier for our countrymen to transact with the government if the system is faster and more systemized),” he said, as he emphasized the importance of modernization in serving people better.
The law also directs agencies to strengthen free public Internet access nationwide, particularly in far-flung communities, and to improve online portals of local government units.
Go says that the E-Governance Act complements other efforts to make government more responsive to the public, from health services to social welfare programs.
Despite this, Go says there is still the need for continuous collaboration among agencies and local governments to fully realize the benefits of digital transformation.