The Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) has partnered with digital startup TWALA (Ohelio, Inc.) on a measure to secure the electronic signatures (e-sign) of agency employees and prevent fraudulent activities on April 25.
The memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the two parties will enable ARTA to implement a pilot program, involving a free signing platform to 300 ARTA employees for two months.
The selected staff will be given training and support to use the platform.
Not only is this part of ARTA's push to digitalize their processes, but it also seeks to ensure e-signs of ARTA employees and officials are tamper-proof.
The Blockchain Digital ID utilized by TWALA offers various levels to verify signatures using artificial intelligence (AI) technology such as QR code scanning, or push notifications, especially for "high-risk documents."
"This is a step towards the direction that we're pushing for under the direction of the President [Marcos] for all government processes to be streamlined and digitalized," said ARTA Director General Ernesto Perez in a statement on April 30.
"The current administration [aims] to digitalize basically everything, and [with] ARTA as the main implementer of the ease of doing business, it kind of cements our position to be able to help not just ARTA, but the rest of the bureaucracy, the rest of the government, eventually to help the general public," remarked TWALA CEO Jeffrey Reyes.
According to their website, TWALA is supported by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) through the startup grant fund program and is "fully complaint with the Philippines’ Electronic Commerce Act (RA 8792) and the Supreme Court’s Rules on Electronic Evidence."
The startup has also partnered previously with the DOST - Advanced Science and Technology Institute (DOST-ASTI), the National Confederation of Cooperatives (NATCCO), the Organization of Socialized and Economic Housing Developers of the Philippines (OSHDP), and the Senate.