Shifting to e-governance is supposed to be a priority of the Marcos administration, not only to boost efficiency and facilitate public access but also to cut opportunities for corruption.
As in any endeavor involving machines and technology, glitches are expected along the way. But every effort must be made to keep such glitches to a minimum, especially if the underlying cause is avoidable – such as failure to pay for digital services.
On April 29, an official of the Department of Information and Communications Technology told the Senate that 12 government digital systems had to be taken offline recently for five to six hours on two different days because the DICT could not afford greater cloud server space.
A single cloud service hosts the eGovPH app, the digital national ID, e-verify, eLGU platforms used by some 1,000 local government units as well as the eGov AI or artificial intelligence assistant.
DICT Undersecretary David Almirol Jr. reportedly admitted that the department was “overwhelmed” and “had no choice” but to disable the digital systems after a user surge crashed the main digital services platform, the eGovPH app.
The surge was traced to government agencies and e-wallet integrators launching at the same time on the eGovPH platform, Almirol told the Senate. On questioning, he admitted the “reality” that the DICT could not pay for additional cloud server space.
On April 30, the DICT attributed the user surge to the growing number of Filipinos accessing digital government platforms. In a statement, the agency said it is “undertaking the necessary enhancements to strengthen system capacity, improve performance, and ensure greater reliability during periods of high demand.”
The DICT cited ongoing coordination with the Department of Budget and Management for long-term “resource planning” to expand the digital infrastructure. Senators had described the DICT’s problem as “unacceptable” as they pointed out that the DBM has available funds. The DICT has also been previously flagged for weaknesses in its fund utilization.
If the Marcos administration is seriously pushing for a shift to e-governance, it must provide the necessary infrastructure for a speedy and seamless transition.
Government programs don’t just materialize with the wave of a magic wand. They need resources for operation, starting with funding.