In an effort to transform public service delivery, the Department of Education (DepEd) and Microsoft have raised the bar for digital governance with the launch of the Public Assistance Referral and Ticketing System (PARTS) in Region III.

This pioneering initiative streamlines the handling of public concerns, boosts transparency, and enhances response efficiency—marking a major step toward modern, citizen-centered service in line with the government’s digitalization agenda.

“We are committed to expanding PARTS across the country, ensuring that every Filipino can benefit from a more efficient and transparent public service system,” said DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara, expressing his confidence in the program’s future. “This is just the beginning of our journey toward a fully digital government,” he added.

The initiative is a key milestone under the Presidential Digitalization Blueprint, aimed at enhancing transparency, responsiveness, and public service efficiency in the education sector.

Before the rollout of PARTS, DepEd Region III grappled with managing public complaints and inquiries due to the absence of a centralized system. These inefficiencies often led to delays, miscommunication, and public dissatisfaction.

To address this, DepEd partnered with Microsoft to co-develop the PARTS platform—a comprehensive, automated system designed to streamline how concerns are tracked, resolved, and reported.

The system was built using Microsoft Forms, SharePoint, and the Power Platform during a collaborative hackathon.

From April to December 2023, PARTS achieved a 100 percent resolution rate—addressing all 446 concerns received during the pilot phase. The project was spearheaded by the Region III Public Affairs and ICT Units, demonstrating a new standard in efficient public service delivery.

DepEd Region III Director Ronnie S. Mallari emphasized that the tool is more than just a complaint resolution platform. “PARTS, for us, is more than just a tool for resolving straightforward complaints,” he said.

Mallari noted that PARTS provides valuable data to guide decision-making and enables prompt, informed solutions. “With the rapid advancements in AI, I see PARTS becoming a leader in frontline public service—empowering us to address issues and concerns with greater speed, accuracy, and insight than ever before,” he added.

Staff across the region have praised the system’s intuitive interface and productivity gains.

Sol Solomon, Division Public Assistance Director for SDO Zambales, shared how PARTS has significantly improved their workflow.

“It simplifies the response process to complaints and inquiries, making everything accessible with just one click,” he said. “Reporting to the region is now instantaneous—simply click and upload the answers,” he added.

John Paul Pallasigui, IT Officer for SDO Pampanga, also emphasized the importance of collaboration. “Our PARTS system is one of the innovations of DepEd Region III. As ITOs, we pledge to assist, especially with the technical concerns of our DPACs using the PARTS system,” he said.

“With the assistance of the regional office and the collaboration of the DITOs and DPACs, I believe this innovation will bring more success, particularly in handling complaints received at the regional office and streamlining the process down to the division level,” he added.

Microsoft Philippines CEO Peter Maquera highlighted the collaborative effort behind the success of the PARTS initiative.

“At Microsoft, we are dedicated to leveraging technology to drive positive change,” he said.

Maquera described the collaboration with DepEd through the PARTS project as a strong example of how digital innovation can elevate public service delivery while promoting transparency and accountability.

“We are thrilled with the results achieved in Region III and look forward to replicating this success nationwide,” he added.

Recognizing its success, DepEd has expressed support for the nationwide adoption of PARTS.

The success of PARTS in Region III sets a powerful precedent for digital transformation in education governance.

DepEd plans to roll out the system to other regions in the coming months, further improving how public feedback is handled at the national level.

With systems like PARTS, DepEd is taking a critical step toward building a digitally empowered, transparent, and citizen-centered government.