DICT: Portal for government service
In at least two occasions, including his SONA speech, President Duterte referred to two priorities of his government. First, the availability of faster and more affordable access to the internet and second, the efficient delivery of government services to the public.
On the latter, his instructions, as I recall, was that no citizen should be made to wait in long lines for government service. He even set a target of three days for all agencies to complete the processing of permits, licenses, clearances, etc. Both goals, since they can only be achieved through technology, fall clearly under the mandate of the newly created Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).
Faster and cheaper bandwidth is the challenge for PLDT and Globe premised on increased capital expenditures and supportive regulatory environment.
Compelling all agencies of government to deliver their services within three days is tougher to accomplish. It is a task which the DICT will have little control over, if at all.
Unlike banks, airlines and hotels, very few government agencies operate on an online real time mode, where transactions can instantly access and update data bases. Switching to this mode of operation requires major re-engineering of all processes and the conversion of computer systems to support such an environment.
What is more gargantuan in effort is to integrate processes of one agency like the DFA passport system to other agencies like NSO for birth certificates and NBI for police clearances. There are many reasons why this cannot be done even within the timeframe of the six years of this administration, starting with: the incompatibility of the systems of different agencies, the disparate data bases, their connectivity, and many times, the resistance of many government agencies.
However, eliminating long queues can be resolved by DICT by using current ICT technology. Visa processing in foreign embassies
For one to apply for a Schengen visa in most European countries, all one has to do is to download forms from their website, fill them up, and after fulfilling all the documentary requirements, go to a center somewhere in the city, submit the application, and assuming all documents are in order, have passport with visa delivered right to one’s doorstep. The old processing time was two weeks. It continues to be two weeks. What they have changed is the manner in which they collect applications and deliver their visas. No more queues!
The main reason for long queues is the point of contact of the citizens are limited to the branches and regional offices of the above government agencies, as well as satellite offices in selected malls. Apparently, this is not enough. Solution
Under the responsibility of the DICT is an agency which, because of new technologies, is hardly noticed these days. PhlPost or the Philippine Postal Corporation. PhlPost has a network of 1,383 offices spread around the country and has a point of presence in every city, municipality and even some barangays.
By connecting every post office location to government agencies which regularly transact business with the public, their services can be availed of without having to travel long distances to a regional office, whether it is SSS, LTO, or NBI. In the same manner that service can be provided in malls, it can similarly be provided in every major post office facility.
All it needs is for the DICT to develop a common CRM (Customer Relationship Management Systems), which will allow it to connect directly to the agencies’ computer systems, and access whatever information they need to transact business with the public. In fact this subsystem would be a good candidate for a Private Public Partnership ( PPP) to ensure more effective implementation. The ICT industry would be more than willing to assist, perhaps at no cost
This approach does not require existing government agencies’ systems to be drastically changed or re-engineered. That can come at a pace established by the agencies themselves through their ICT master plan.
PhilPost, as part of its mandate, can actually deliver everything direct to the citizens’ homes and with the PostalBank, accept payments for services.
Although this sounds like a very simplistic solution, it obviously needs a more detailed study. I would hope the new DICT will be willing to assist in this endeavor. It is proof positive why DICT exists.
Ver Pena, former chairman of CICT and former president of IBM Philippines provided all this wisdom. CSW
President Ramos always insisted on completed staff work. PMS staff should do the same especially when the President makes his customary “off the cuff” pronouncements. The staff should immediately determine feasibility. Then update him so he can act accordingly. Performance tracking
I understand that DICT is still in the process of developing their Implementing Rules and Regulations. However, they should also prioritize providing the President with a way of monitoring the performance of his cabinet. In my column last week, I wrote: “I recommend that every member of the cabinet draw up specific targets which can be measured, preferably with chronological milestones…… the PMS with the assistance of the DICT should develop a digital dashboard which will provide the President with a real time snapshot of the performance of departments on performance indicators, and a status of their ongoing projects. In the spirit of the recent FOI EO, accountability and transparency demand publication on the internet.” This approach was tested during Arroyo administration but failed due to cabinet non-cooperation.