BGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Second Regular Session
)
SENATE 
S. No. 1683
DATE
imB
Introduced by Senator Grace Poe
AN ACT
ESTABLISHING THE E-GOVERNMENT, DEFINING ITS POWERS AND 
FUNCTIONS, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER 
PURPOSES
Explanatory Note
Executive Order No. 47, s. 2011 directed the then Information and 
Communications and Technology Office (ICTO) under the Department of Science and 
Technology (DOST) to (1) ensure provision of efficient and effective information and 
communications technology infrastructure, information systems and resources to 
support efficient, effective, transparent and accountable governance and, in particular, 
supportthe speedy and efficient enforcement of mies and delivery of accessible public 
services to the people; and (2) build the capacities of public sector institutions and 
their personnel in the use of ICT to improve planning, management, delivery of 
mission, critical functions and monitoring and evaluation.1 Pursuant to this, the first 
E-Govemment Master Plan (EGMP) was launched for years 2013 to 2016.2
To continue with the efforts of the government to harmonize and integrate 
information and communications technology (ICT) in the promotion of open 
governance as well as in the delivery of public service, another EGMP was released for
'Executive Order No. 47, s. 2011. Retrieved from https://dict.gov.ph/executive-order-no-47-s-2011/ 
2Overview of the E-Government Master Pian (2013-2016). Retrieved from 
https: //WWW .dbm .gov. ph/wp-
content/upioads/MITHI/Juiy2013/EGMP%20presentation%20for%20pienary%202.pdf


the years 2016 to 2022.3 In the same vein, the Department of Information and 
Communications Technology (DICT) also released an updated EGMP for2022.4
In cognizance of the importance of the initiatives undertaken in the previous 
EGMPs and to guarantee effective implementation, this bill requires the updating of 
the EGMP every three (3) years and directs the Secretary of the DICT to spearhead 
the implementation of the EGMPs to be formulated. The bill also mandates the 
deployment of Chief Information Officers (CIO) to national and key government units 
and the appointment of an ICT Officer in each local government unit (LGU)to manage 
the implementation of the EGMP.
The call for the digital transformation of processes involved in delivering 
services through an interoperable government ICT network Is definitely not new. 
However, it is more urgent now - in the time of COVID-19 pandemic - when mobility 
is hampered, physical interactions are minimized, and having access to government 
services in the safety of our homes is more crucial than ever.
In view of the foregoing, immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought.5
^ ff GRACE POE
3E-Government 
Master 
Plan 
2.0 
(2016-2022) 
See
https://www.gov.ph/documents/495812/518611/egmp-2.0-popular-versbn_final.pdf 
4E-Government Master Plan (2022). See https://dict.gov.ph/ictstatistics/wp- 
content/uploads/2019/05/4-EG MP_DGI_Iloib.pdf
5 This bill was earlier fiied in the House of Representatives by Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte Jr.


EGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Second Regular Session
)
)
SENATE 
S. No. 1683
FILED
DATE
TIME
Introduced by Senator Grace Poe
AN ACT
ESTABLISHING THE E-GOVERNMENT, DEFINING ITS POWERS AND 
FUNCTIONS, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER 
PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
1 
Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "E-Govemment Act of
2 
2020".
3 
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - The State hereby adopts the following policies:
4 
1. The State shaii provide effective leadership forthe government to deveiop and
5 
promote electronic government services and processes;
6 
2. The State shaii provide increased opportunities for citizen participation in
7 
government;
8 
3. The State shaii promote inter-agency coiiaboration in providing electronic
9 
government services;
10 
4. The State shaii promote the use of the internet and emerging technologies
11 
within and across government agencies to provide citizen-centric govemmert
12 
information and services;
13 
5. The State shaii ensure that costs and burdens are reduced for businesses and
14 
other government entities,
15 
6. The State shall promote better-informed decision-making by poiicy makers;
16 
7. The State shall promote access to high quality government information and
17 
services across multiple channels; and
18 
8. The State shall make the government more transparent and accountable.


1 
Sec. 3. Definition ofTemis. - As used in this Act, the following terms are defined
2 
as follows:
3 
a. Infomiation and Communications Technoiogyor ICT shall mean the totality of
4 
electronic means to access, create, collect, store, process, receive, transmit,
5 
present and disseminate information;
6 
b. Eiectmnic Government or E-Govemment shall mean the use of ICT by the
7 
government and the public to enhance the access to and delivery of
8 
government services to bring about efficient, responsive, ethical, accountable
9 
and transparent government service;
10 
c. ICT-Enabied Services shall mean those engaged in providing services that
11 
require the intrinsic use ofICTs including engineering or architectural design,
12 
informatics service providers, offshoring and outsourcing service providers such
13 
as call centers, back office processing, software development, medical or legal
14 
transcription, animation, game development, and other services that require
15 
the intrinsic use of a networked information infrastructure;
16 
d. Chief Information Officer or CIO shall mean a senior officer in all national
17 
government agencies (NGAs), including constitutional offices, state universities
18 
and colleges (SUCs), government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs),
19 
and government financial institutions (GFIs) responsible for the development
20 
and management of the agency's ICT systems and applications;
21 
e. InteropembHity shall mean the ability of different operating and software
22 
systems, applications, and services to communicate and exchange data in an
23 
accurate, effective, and consistent manner.
24 
Sec. 4. E-Govemment Master Pian. - The Department of Information and
25 
Communications Technology (DICT) shall establish and promote an E-Govemment
26 
Master Plan to encourage excellence in facilitating the development and enhancement
27 
of all electronic Government services and processes. The E-Govemment Master Plan
28 
shall be reviewed and revised every three years.
29 
Sec. 5. E-Govemment Programs. - The E-Govemment Master Plan shall
30 
include, but not limited to, the following programs:
31 
1. Philippine Government Interoperability Framework. - A Philippine government
32 
interoperability framework shall be developed to guide and govern basic


1 
technical and informational interoperability of government ICT systems. Such
2 
a framework will guide ail shared operations and services of the Philippine
3 
govemment-between and among its various agencies, as well as for these
4 
agencies in dealing with their various constituencies;
5 
2. Archives and Records Management Information System. - An archives and
6 
records management information system shall be designed to systematically
7 
and efficiently manage government documents and records. This includes the
8 
digitization of paper based documents and records and the development of
9 
systems that will manage these documents from creation, routing, tracking,
10 
and archiving to disposal — while adhering to existing policies, laws and ISO
11 
standards;
12 
3. Government Online Payment System. - An internet-based electronic payment
13 
facility and gateway that will enable citizens and businesses to remit payments
14 
electronically to government agencies shall be created. It shall render services
15 
through various delivery channels, which include debit instructions (ATM
16 
accounts), credit instructions (credit cards) and mobile wallets (SMS);
17 
4. Citizen Frontline Delivery Services. - Services that are needed to facilitate
18 
business registration-related transactions shall be made efficient by integrating
19 
all agencies involved in business registration, such as the Department of Trade
20 
and Industry (DTI), Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Cooperative
21 
Development Authority (CDA), Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), Social
22 
Security System (SSS), Home Development Mutual Fund (PagIBIG), Philippine
23 
Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), Local Government Units (LGUs) and
24 
other permit/license-issuing agencies;
25 
5. Public Financial Management. - Various financial systems in government (e.g.
26 
taxation, payment systems, accounting, business registries) shall be
27 
harmonized and managed.
28 
6. Procurement System - An online and real-time service that encompasses all
29 
procurement processes involving bidding, contract agreements, and payment
30 
for services or supplies shall also be developed.
31 
The E-Govemment Master Plan shall likewise include the following:
32 
1. Inventory and purchase of hardware and software of all government offices;


1 
2. Utilization of servers, network connections and data centers in all government
2 
offices;
3 
3. Security, disaster recovery plans and archiving considering existing services and
4 
capabilities already available as well as future information systems; and
5 
4. Standardization of systems across government agencies to promote
6 
interoperability and database management.
7 
Sec. 6. DICTSecretary as E-Govemment Head. - The Secretary of the DIG"
8 
shall head the E-Govemment initiative. The Secretary is expected to spearhead all
9 
aspects of accomplishing the implementation of the E-Govemment Master Plan to
10 
catalyze the optimum use of ICT in government to expand and improve public services,
11 
government operations and capabilities.
12 
Sec. 7. Chief Information Officers. - Chief Information Officers will be assigned
13 
and deployed to national and key governmental units with the function of:
14 
1. Advising agencies on how best to leverage ICTs to optimize the delivery of
15 
public services, and achieve efficient and cost effective operations;
16 
2. Developing, maintaining and managing the agency's information systems;
17 
3. Managing and supervising the implementation of ICT-based projects, systems
18 
and processes;
19 
4. Fomnulating and implementing processes in relation to the adoption of CT-
20 
based solutions as provided by the E-Govemment plan;
21 
5. Managing operational risks related to ICT in coordination with the agency's
22 
management and stakeholders; and
23 
6. Ensuring that the ICT programs and operations are consistent with national
24 
policies and standards.
25 
Sec. 8. LGU ICT Officers. - Each Local Government Unit shall have an
26 
Information Officer assigned to manage and supervise its adoption of the E-
27 
Government Plan. The LGU ICT Officer is likewise tasked to spearhead seminars and
28 
other means of educating the community to maximize E-Govemment initiatives.
29 
Sec. 9. E-Govemment Status Report. - Each agency and local government unit
30 
shall compile and submit an annual E-Govemment Status Report on: (A) the status of
31 
the implementation of electronic government initiatives; (B) compliance by the agency


1 
with this Act; and (C) performance in delivering programs through the E-Govemment
2 
to constituencies.
3 
Sec. 10. Appropriations. - The amount needed for the initial implementation of
4 
this Act shall be taken from the current year's appropriations of the DICT. Thereafter,
5 
such sums as may be necessary for its continued implementation shall be included in
6 
the annual General Appropriations Act.
7 
Sec. 11. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within sixty (60) days after
8 
the effectivity of this Act, the DICT shall formulate the rules and regulations to
9 
effectively implement the provisions of this Act.
10 
Sec. 12. SepambiUty Clause. - If any portion or provision of this Act is declared
11 
unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act or any provisions not affected thereby shall
12 
remain In force and effect.
13 
Sec. 13. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive
14 
order, letter of instruction, rule or regulation inconsistent with the provisions of this
15 
Act is hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
16 
Sec. 14. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days following its
17 
complete publication in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,