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Camarines Sur 2nd district Rep. LRay Villafuerte is upbeat with the prospects of the Philippines adopting an E-Government system this year, especially after the Senate approved its version of the E-Governance bill endorsed by President Marcos.

The same bill was passed by the House of Representatives way back in March 2023.

“The switch to E-Government will spell greater transparency and efficiency in our people’s transactions with the bureaucracy, further improve the ease of doing business that will enhance investor confidence, and  cut back on, if not do away altogether, with official corruption,” said Villafuerte, a lead author of House Bill (HB) No. 7327 or the proposed E-Governance Act that the House passed on third and final reading via 304-4-0 vote (yes-no-abstain).

On Feb. 8, the upper chamber voted 21-0-0 to approve its counterpart E-Governance measure as embodied in Senate Bill (SB) No. 2781.

Both chambers (House and Senate) then reopen on June 2 and hold sessions till June 13, or when the 19th Congress is adjourned sine die.

“Now all that needs to be done to link all national government offices, LGUs (local government units) and GOCCs (government-owned and controlled corporations) under an E-Government system is for us in the Senate and the House to come up with [a] consolidated bill via the bicam (bicameral conference committee)," Villafuerte, president of the National Unity Party (NUP) said.

This consolidated bill can be ratified by both chambers in June and then submitted to the Palace shortly for Marcos' signature.

Also included in the planned E-Government network are all judicial and constitutional offices plus state universities and colleges (SUCs). 

A longtime advocate of the country’s shift toward digitalization, Villafuerte first introduced in the 17th Congress the precursor to this approved measure on a centralized online government system, the necessity of which came to the fore during the Covid-pandemic years. 

“An E-Government system covering all state agencies, SUCs and corporations under the new Marcos administration, as outlined in both HB 7327 and SB 2781, will further improve the ease of doing business and brush up the country’s image as a top investment haven, while letting Filipinos continue transacting official business without actually having to go to the various government agencies themselves in the post-pandemic era,” he said. 

Under the E-Governance proposal, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) shall be the principal implementer of this Internet-based system that would be organized within one year from the effectivity of the proposed law.

Under this proposal, a secure network called the "Integrated Government Network" will be put up to connect all government websites and applications and allow data-sharing among the different agencies and offices.

President Marcos endorsed the E-Governance bill in his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) in 2022.

“This proposal to institutionalize a national framework for a unified digital state system via the E-Government will clear the way to more efficient and smooth online delivery of services that will cut back on, if not do away outright with, official  corruption in minimizing the human intervention component in government or official transactions,” Villafuerte said.