DOTC bares pilot project on e-government

The country may finally be on its way toward having an "e-government" where communications within the government and transactions between the government and the general public can be done electronically, resulting in considerable savings in both time and money.

The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) has just launched the Government Electronic Messaging System or GEMS pilot project with the recent holding of a one-day workshop participated in by representatives from all DOTC sectoral offices and attached agencies.

The workshop was mainly aimed at evaluating the actual capabilities and functional features for the department’s internal and external communications and e-government applications.

"GEMS is intended to provide the capability for its users to create, send, receive, manage and store messages and attachments using the same workstations that they use in their normal operations. It can be used for communications within the government for administrative purposes and with the general public for delivery of vital government services to citizens," Undersecretary for Communications Agustin Bengzon said in his opening remarks during the workshop.

"The cost of government transactions will be reduced by minimizing and, in the long run, eliminating paper-based transactions," Bengzon added.

When fully in place, he said GEMS will also result in faster and more cost-efficient delivery of government documents and services.

Thus, the time will come when no one needs to travel long distances to follow up his papers with any government agency. He can simply send an e-mail to the agency concerned and the agency can inform him of the status of his particular business, also via e-mail.

"Hopefully, the DOTC’s GEMS pilot project will serve as a good model that can be replicated when the government-wide system, as mandated by law, is finally implemented," Bengzon pointed out.

GEMS is an offshoot of the provision of the E-Commerce Act mandating all government departments to install an electronic messaging service for communications (stored and forward) within the government for departmental administration and with the general public for delivery of government services.

RPWeb, a government initiative, includes the establishment of user-friendly websites for all national government agencies, including the creation of one common government site linking all departments and agencies.