Senator Grace Poe on Tuesday called on heads of government agencies to double their efforts in making their services accessible online so citizens and organizations can fully transact with them digitally as COVID-19 cases in the country continue to rise.
She said online transactions and services are not only faster but could help the government save money in the long run.
“We have been in this situation since March 2020 and there’s still a lot of room for improvement,” she said.
“Except for situations that require people to be physically present such as in capturing their biometrics, many other services should be done online,” said Poe, chairperson of the Senate committee on banks, financial institutions and currencies.
The Department of Health reported a record-high of 18,332 new COVID-19 cases on Monday (Aug. 23).
“This is the pressing time to embark on the new normal, especially for government services. In the long run, the government can even realize savings from overhead expenses such as rent and utilities,” Poe said.
“This is also a good opportunity for the government to streamline its processes and cut red tape,” she added.
Among the agencies that should work double time on digitalization, Poe said, are the National Bureau of Investigation, the Land Transportation Office, and the Bureau of Internal Revenue.