At A Glance
- "The law is intended not only for us to catch up, but to lead us through the possibility of e-governance amid robotics, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and during this digital age," Senate Minority Leader Alan Cayetano said.
Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano on Friday, September 12 lauded the signing into law of the E-Governance Act (Republic Act No. 12254), a landmark measure that would pave the way to unprecedented public service efficiency.
“The law is intended not only for us to catch up, but to lead us through the possibility of e-governance amid robotics, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and during this digital age,” Cayetano said.
“Only God knows the limitation on e-governance. Halos unlimited ang opportunities (It has unlimited opportunities). Think of it and it can be done. Gusto niyo ng e-payments, transactions na walang pila, na gamitin ay isang app lang, facial recognition — magagawa po ito sa bagong batas (If you want e-payments, transactions where you don’t have to queue up, using only one app, facial recognition—that can all be done with just one law),” he said.
The E-Governance Act, which President Marcos last Sept. 5, 2025, is expected to enhance government efficiency, streamline services, and promote transparency through the use of Information and Communications Technology – ensuring that both citizens and businesses benefit from digital transformation.
The new law primarily mandates a secure digital system that would streamline digitalization of government processes and enable citizens to access government services anytime, anywhere.
Cayetano said he is confident that while the law cannot be a solution to all problems regarding governance, “it is a tool that, if used effectively and assigned properly to various agencies, can address many of our challenges today.”
Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee also welcomed the signing into law of the E-Governance Act, saying it would particularly benefit those residing in remote areas and citizens with physical disabilities.
“Sa pamamagitan ng bagong batas na ito, mas magiging madali at maaasahan ang mga serbisyong ibinibigay ng gobyerno para sa ating mga kababayan (With this new law, the services provided by the government for our countrymen will be easier and more reliable),” said Gatchalian, who co-authored the measure.
“Paiigtingin din nito ang transparency sa pagpapatupad ng iba’t ibang programa ng pamahalaan (It will also increase transparency in the implementation of various government programs),” he stressed.