OVERWHELMING and cross-party support marked the passage of the E-Governance bill on third and final reading at the Senate, with 21 affirmative votes, zero negative votes, and zero abstentions. It is a consolidated bill that aims to streamline government processes and make them more transparent by institutionalizing a national framework for a unified digital government system.
Then again, who would object to these aims that put technology to good use, especially in the context of governance? E-Governance is also one of the stated priorities of the Marcos, Jr. administration.
According to the bill, the Department of Information and Communications Technology would lead other government agencies in the pursuit of digital integration. A comprehensive master plan, to be updated every three years, will be drawn up for the purpose.
The bill integrates concepts like open government, citizen-centered services, a balance between privacy and freedom of information, interoperability, responsiveness and transparency, showing the complex nature of running a government using tools that facilitate convenience and efficiency.
Ultimately, however, e-Governance is so much more than technology. While it hinges on digital infrastructure and equipment upgrades, much of it boils down to fundamentals – specifically, the political will to implement the law evenly across all levels of the government and all geographic areas, and to stay true to the spirit of serving the people better instead of confounding them with strange terms and complicated processes.
We laud the passage of the bill and look forward to when it is finally signed into law and eventually implemented. A word of caution, though: while technology offers many benefits, it also carries risks and pitfalls. The dangers are many especially since digital sophistication among Filipinos varies greatly across areas and socio-economic groups.
E-Governance is by no means novel, and the Philippines is just playing catch-up. Pockets of tech-driven processes have been in place for years, but the integration and harmonizations of systems are what our agencies need.
The road toward the bill’s lofty aims will be long and filled with challenges. As always, mere passage of legislation must be seen not as a final victory but a first step.