President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. is hoping that the two electronic initiatives aimed at streamlining government processes would help curb criminality in the country.
President Marcos leads the launching of the Electronic Local Government Unit System (eLGU) and the People's Feedback Mechanism (eReport) at the Malacañang Palace on Monday, July 17. (Photo courtesy of PPA Pool/KJ Rosales)
On Monday, July 17, Marcos led the launching of the Electronic Local Government Unit (eLGU) System and the People’s Feedback Mechanism (eReport) that aim to digitalize government services.
"I am optimistic that this system will be used to help curb criminality, lawlessness, and ensure immediate responses to various incidents around the country. Thereby making our communities safer and more secure for everyone," Marcos said in his speech.
The President said the twin programs "mark a paradigm shift in the way that the government and citizens interact with one another."
He cited that with the eLGU system, Filipinos can avail themselves of local government services including business permit and licensing, local tax processing, local civil registration, real property tax, barangay clearance, and information dissemination.
He added that it will complement the Anti-Red Tape Authority's efforts in eliminating unnecessary layers of bureaucracy and making government transactions easier and more efficient.
The eReport system, on the other hand, will enhance the ability of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) to better respond to the emergency needs of the public, the chief executive further said.
This allows citizens to voice real-time reports through their mobile devices, such as but not limited to crimes, fire incidents and other emergency situations.
Marcos said the newly launched initiatives are "just a glimpse" of what the digital revolution can bring to the society and to the way the government does business.
"We are now living in a world where technology is occupying a vital and important part of our existence. Let us embrace it and see the good it can do for our society," he said.
"There are even more profound changes that we can expect should we choose to apply technology in many aspects of our lives. I truly believe that digitalization is a hallmark of our progress as we move to the future," he added.
The chief executive also urged all local government agencies and LGUs to collaborate with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) as the government integrates all services into the recently launched e-Gov PH Super App to obtain its objective of becoming a multi-sectoral mobile application for all government institutions and transactions.
He also called on the DICT, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), and LGUs to ensure the efficient implementation of EO No. 32 to ramp up the implementation of infrastructure projects in the telecommunications industry in order to accelerate the country's digital transformation.
Both the eLGU and eReport serve as vital components of the DICT’s eGov PH Super App, a mobile application that integrates the multi-sectoral government services in a single platform. These systems support the government’s mission to provide a one-stop-shop for its services.