By EMMIE V. ABADILLA The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is collaborating with Anti- Red Tape Authority (ARTA) to adopt digital signatures so doing business will be easier. The DICT offered the use of one of its core services, the Philippine National Public Key Infrastructure (PNPKI), for ARTA’s key personnel to secure their own digital signatures. “We offer this service to ARTA as they are the most suitable agency to advocate for the use of digital signatures," according to Secretary Gregorio B. Honasan II. “We believe that integrating information and communications technology in government service is the best way to prepare for the digital demands of the ‘new normal’,” he added. The adoption of digital signatures also complements ARTA’s Advisories calling on government entities to fast-track pub¬lic transactions through alternative online procedures and the use of e-signatures for official documents. These efforts are in line with President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s directive to ease goverment-to-citizen transactions during the ongoing state of public health emergency. Likewise, it is in compliance with the directive of the Inter-Agency Task Force for government agencies to minimize bot¬tlenecks in the delivery of vital public services. In a related development, the DICT also supported the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) in advancing digital transformation in the midst of the pandemic. NEDA Acting Secretary, Karl Kendrick Chua, emphasized the need to transition to a digital economy to better adapt to the "new normal." “The DICT supports digital transformation in the economic sector," says Secretary Honasan.