LGUs digitalize to boost transparency, services

LOCAL GOVERNMENT units (LGUs) are partnering with government agencies and the private sector to improve transparency and services through digitalization.

“Every time you do digital transformation, please start with a problem. So, in our case, how can we better provide services to our citizens given the size of our population, our scope, and the often negative perception of the government as slow, corrupt, inept, and bureaucratic…”  Quezon City Administrator Michael Victor N. Alimurung said at the Second Forum on Local Governance and Development hosted by the University of Asia & Pacific.

“You want to increase accountability, transparency, responsiveness, efficiency, effectiveness, empowerment, information accessibility, availability, equity, and inclusivity.”

For the Quezon City LGU, Mr. Alumurung said transitioning to a smart city allows for data-driven decisions that will lead to more efficient and effective services.

With digital payments being one of the pillars of the Quezon City LGU’s digitalization, its e-governance tools have been integrated with GCash, with 95% of all payments for its services being coursed through the e-wallet.

GCash Vice President and Head of Public Sector Cleo Cesleste Santos, however, noted a reluctance among LGUs in partnering with the private sector due to lack of knowledge on related regulations.

“Even us in GCash, when we talk to the different government agencies and non-government organizations (NGOs), the hesitation comes from what they think is not allowed,” she said.

“There are already policies in government that promote ease of doing business, like Executive Order (EO) 170, that allows all government agencies to deal not just with GCash but even other tech providers.”

Meanwhile, tech companies like Japan-based artificial intelligence (AI) crisis management system Spectee, Inc. are looking to enter the Philippine market by partnering with the public sector.

Spectee Chief Operating Officer Satoshi Negoro said they are launching free trial accounts to public sector users until May 2026.

“The original plan was 80 free accounts, but the demand is very big, so we are providing 170 accounts already. But unfortunately, the free trial period will end in May 2026. After that, we have to make sales and profit, and we invest to develop our system.”

NGOs like Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF) are also working with LGUs to help increase disaster preparedness, PDRF Executive Director Veronica T. Gabaldon likewise said.

“We do have a role to play, but we do this in a way that we work with the stakeholders at the national level down to the communities where these businesses operate. So, it makes sense for them to make sure that the community is resilient because after all, they are their customers. They are their employees and families as well, and more importantly, their supply chain.” — Aaron Michael C. Sy