A pro-government digital transformation measure that arguably grew in significance as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic has hurdled the House Committee on Information and Communications Technology.

Approved by the panel Thursday afternoon was the substitute bill to House Bill (HB) No. 6303, titled, "The Government Mobile Applications (GMA) Act of 2020." It was filed by Deputy Speaker and Cebu 3rd district Rep. Pablo John Garcia.

Garcia himself made the motion to approve the unnumbered substitute bill during a virtual hearing of the Information and Communications Technology committee. The presiding officer, Negros Occidental 3rd district Rep. Kiko Benitez carried the motion without much discussion.

The original measure defines GMA as "a software program created and implemented by a government agency or instrumentality that can be run on a mobile phone, tablet, or other similar devices."

Moreover, such software is "designed to provide or facilitate the acquisition of government information, services, or some other benefit."

While this sounds tailor-made for the country in this current public health emergency, where digital transactions are vastly more preferred, the Garcia bill was actually filed on February 17, 2020, or a month before the COVID-19 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization'

"This bill aims to establish one GMA called 'TUGMA' or Transcendent Unified Government Mobile Application, for the benefit of all Filipinos so that government services and information may be made available to them quickly at the tap of a screen or a click of a button," the explanatory note of HB No.6303 read.

"The consolidation of existing government gateways into a comprehensive application would undoubtedly reduce inefficiency and save the nation valuable resources as well. The measure likewise desires to set up common standards for all government applications to observe in addition to establishing an integrated framework," the author wrote.

Garcia said that his bill envisions government applications to be a rich user-friendly multimedia experience filled with resources on major frontline government services.

In particular, he said TUGMA intends to be a comprehensive portal which empowers users with ease of access. "By being a treasure trove of information, it focuses on open data and content, user-friendliness, ease of data exchange, and user safety and privacy," he added.

The following are some of the features of TUGMA: to provide information and details regarding different national agencies, local government units, and their frontline programs; enable its user to apply, register, or otherwise avail of frontline government services; facilitate government transactions; and function as an avenue wherein one may raise complaints, comments, and/or suggestions concerning governmental functions.

Passage at the committee level means that the bill would soon be endorsed to the plenary for final approval.