TECH4GOOD
The Philippine government's determined efforts to improve the country’s global competitiveness are beginning to bear fruit in e-government and innovation.
The Philippines has recently achieved impressive ranking improvements in the UN E-government Development Index 2024 (EGDI) and the WIPO Global Innovation Index 2024 (GII). These notable strides reflect the country’s ongoing commitment to digital transformation and innovation and position it as a competitive player on the global stage.
The Philippines's ranking in the EGDI increased significantly from 89th in 2022 to 73rd this year. The EGDI report also includes the E-participation Index (EPI), where the Philippines achieved an even higher ranking, from 80th in 2022 to 49th this year. The results indicate improvements in the provisioning of online services, enhanced digital governance, and a higher level of citizen participation in e-governance.
The EGDI presents the state of a country's e-government development. It is a composite measure of three vital components of e-government: provision of online services, digital infrastructure, and human capacity. It reflects how digital tools are used to promote access and inclusion of its citizens. I am sure the highly successful eGovPH super app of DICT is a significant factor in this achievement.
The EPI is a supplementary index to the EGDI. It measures how a country can utilize online tools to facilitate interactions between the government and its people, as well as among the people. It looks at how governments encourage participation by providing citizens with public information and access to information as needed. It also considers how citizens contribute and deliberate on public policies and services, co-design policy options, and co-production of programs.
The rise in the country's EGDI ranking signifies a more efficient governance structure brought about by digitalization in the Philippines. Improved digital services will increase transparency by allowing for better monitoring of government activities to help reduce corruption. Citizens can access services more efficiently, which is crucial for those in the countryside. More importantly, it will increase public participation in governance as easy-to-use online platforms foster greater civic engagement and feedback mechanisms.
Meanwhile, the country’s innovation journey continues to gain momentum, as reflected in its current ranking in the GII, where it climbed three notches to 53rd out of 133 countries surveyed. It surpassed the government’s modest target of 54th rank for this year. The Philippines is recognized for ranking third among 38 lower-middle-income economies, following India and Vietnam. Notably, three ASEAN Member States rank among the top eight fastest movers of the past decade: Vietnam (from 76th to 44th, the Philippines (from 90th to 53rd), and Indonesia (from 85th to 54th).
The 2024 GII results for the Philippines clearly show the impact of determined efforts to advance and make innovation a key driver of national progress. The National Innovation Council (NIC), chaired by President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., is driving initiatives charted in the National Innovation Agenda and Strategy Document (NIASD) 2023-2032. Beginning next year, it will conduct the annual National and Regional Innovation Awards and Competitions to recognize outstanding Filipino innovations.
As the country’s innovation policy-making body, NIC is conducting several studies to develop the country's innovation ecosystem further. Among them are policy reforms to eliminate barriers to innovation, massive scholarships to keep innovation talents within the country, and the development of a framework for institutionalizing regulatory sandboxing for emerging technologies. With all of these plans in place, we are confident that the country’s GII rank will further improve in the next round of assessment.
The 2024 GII highlights the Philippines’ strengths in business sophistication and knowledge outputs. A higher innovation ranking can help attract foreign direct investments, as investors often seek countries with robust innovation ecosystems. As businesses innovate, they create new jobs, contributing to economic growth. And by improving its innovation landscape, the Philippines can compete more effectively with global players.
Despite these positive developments, challenges remain that could hinder further progress. The digital divide is still facing us and will be further complicated by the advent of artificial intelligence. Not all citizens have equal access to technology, which could exacerbate inequalities. Continuous improvement of the country’s human capital is necessary to sustain innovation growth. Ongoing investments in digital infrastructure development must be pursued to improve digital connectivity, especially in rural areas. Finally, we need to see increased funding for R&D that can lead to breakthroughs that would further enhance our competitiveness.
The improved rankings of the Philippines in both the UN E-government Index 2024 and the Global Innovation Index 2024 signify pivotal strides for the country in its journey to becoming a middle-income economy. The focus on digital transformation and innovation will be crucial as it navigates future challenges while striving for sustainable development.
The author is an executive member of the National Innovation Council, lead convener of the Alliance for Technology Innovators for the Nation (ATIN), vice president of the Analytics and AI Association of the Philippines, and vice president of UP System Information Technology Foundation.