NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
)
First Regular Session
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
HOUSE BILL NO. ____
Introduced by REPRESENTATIVE VIRGILIO S. LACSON
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Over the last few years, the government’s determination to transition into interoperable and
digitized platforms has become more apparent. Legislative measures have been initiated multiple
times but failed to come into fruition. With the thrust of the new administration to push forward
the use of technology in government processes, we have more reason to advocate for laws
allowing and ensuring the smooth transition of our processes.
There is no denying that Information and Communications technology play a major role in
bringing significant, positive changes in traditional functions such as defense, law and order,
taxation, social justice, education, healthcare, among others. It is therefore incumbent upon the
government to institutionalize the use and harness the power of ICT-based services to achieve an
efficient, responsive and accountable government system.
ICT acts as a catalyst for organizational transformation by managing large volumes of data,
and ensures better connectivity between the different departments and agencies of the
government, while reducing the margin of error. It provides solutions for delay in public works,
bureaucratic red tape, corruption, harassment of the public and so on.
This bill is crafted to institutionalize the use of ICT in various government agencies, and to
establish an electronic government, with the end goal of providing increased opportunities for
citizen participation; promoting inter-agency collaboration in providing electronic government
services and use of the internet and emerging technologies, ensuring that costs and burdens are
reduced for businesses and other government entities; making the government more transparent
and accountable.
For the foregoing reasons, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
VIRGILIO S. LACSON 
Manila Teachers Party-list
July 28, 2022
3:21 pm
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NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
)
First Regular Session
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
HOUSE BILL NO. ____
Introduced by REPRESENTATIVE VIRGILIO S. LACSON
AN ACT
ESTABLISHING THE E-GOVERNMENT, DEFINING ITS POWERS AND FUNCTIONS,
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress
assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "E-Government Act".
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - The State hereby adopts the following policies: 
1) The State shall provide effective leadership for the development and promotion of
electronic government services and processes;
2) The State shall provide increased opportunities for citizen participation in government;
3) The State shall promote inter-agency collaboration in providing electronic government
services;
4) The State shall promote the use of the internet and emerging technologies within and
across government agencies to provide citizen-centric government information and services;
5) The State shall ensure that costs and burdens are reduced for businesses and other
government entities;
6) The State shall promote better-informed decision-making by policy makers;
7) The State shall promote access to high quality government information and services
across multiple channels; and
8) The State shall make the government more transparent and accountable.
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SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. — As used in this Act: 
a) Information and Communications Technology or ICT shall mean the totality of electronic
means to access, create, collect, store, process, receive, transmit, present and disseminate
information;
b) Electronic Government or E-Government shall mean the use of ICT by the government
and the public to enhance access to and delivery of government services to bring about
efficient, responsive, ethical, accountable and transparent government service;
c) ICT-Enabled Services shall mean those engaged in providing services that require the
intrinsic use of ICTs including engineering or architectural design, informatics service
providers, offshoring and outsourcing service providers such as call centers, back office
processing,
software
development, medical or legal transcription, animation, game
development, and other services that require the intrinsic use of a networked information
infrastructure;
d) Chief Information Officer or CIO shall mean a senior officer in all national government
agencies, including constitutional offices, state universities and colleges, government-owned
and controlled corporations, and government financial institutions responsible for the
development and management of the agency's ICT systems and applications;
e) Interoperability shall mean the ability of different operating and software systems,
applications, and services to communicate and exchange data in an accurate, effective, and
consistent manner.
SEC. 4. E-Government Master Plan. – The Department of Information and Communications
Technology (DICT) shall establish and promote an E-Government Master Plan to encourage
excellence in facilitating the development and enhancement of all E-Government services and
processes. The E-Government Master Plan shall be reviewed and revised every three years.
SEC. 5. E-Government Programs. - The E-Government Master Plan shall include the following
programs: 
1) Philippine Government Interoperability Framework. – A framework shall be developed to
guide and govern basic technical and informational interoperability of government ICT
systems. Such framework shall guide all shared operations and services of the Philippine
government - between and among its various agencies, as well as for these agencies, in
dealing with their various constituencies.
2) Archives and Records Management Information System. - A system shall be designed to
systematically and efficiently manage government documents and records. This includes the
digitization of paper-based documents and records and the development of systems that will
manage these documents, - from creation, routing, tracking, and archiving to disposal, –


while adhering to existing policies, laws and the standards of the International Organization
for Standardization.
3)
Government Online Payment System. – An Internet-based electronic payment facility and
gateway that will enable citizens and businesses to remit payments electronically to
government agencies shall be created. It shall render services through various delivery
channels, which include debit instructions accounts (debit cards), credit instructions (credit
cards) and mobile wallets (SMS).
4) Citizen Frontline Delivery Services. — Services that are business registration-related
transactions shall be made efficient by integrating  all agencies involved in business
registration, such as the Department of Trade and Industry, Securities and Exchange
Commission, Cooperative Development Authority, Bureau of Internal Revenue, Social
Security
System,
Home Development
Mutual
Fund,
Philippine
Health
Insurance
Corporation, Local Government Units (LGUS) and other permit/license-issuing agencies.
5) Public Financial Management. — Various financial systems in government such as taxation,
payment systems, accounting, business registries shall be harmonized and managed. 
6) Procurement System - An online and real-time service that encompasses all procurement
processes involving bidding, contract agreements, and payment for services or supplies shall
also be developed. 
The E-Government Master Plan shall likewise include the following:
1) Inventory and purchase of hardware and software of all government offices;
2) Utilization of servers, network connections and data centers in all government offices; 
3) Security, disaster recovery plans and archiving considering existing services and 
capabilities, as well as future information systems; and
4) Standardization of systems across government agencies to promote interoperability and
database management.
SEC. 6. DICT Secretary as E-Government Head. —The Secretary of the DICT shall head the
E-Government initiative. The Secretary is expected to spearhead all aspects of implementation of
the E-Government Master Plan to catalyze the optimum use of ICT in government to expand and
improve public services, government operations and capabilities.
SEC. 7. Chief Information Officers. - Chief Information Officers shall be assigned and deployed to
national and key governmental units and perform the following functions:
1) Advise agencies on how best to leverage ICTs to optimize the delivery of public services, and
achieve efficient and cost effective operations;


2) Develop, maintain and manage the agency's information systems;
3) Manage and supervise the implementation of ICT-based projects, systems and processes;
4) Formulate and implement processes in relation to the adoption of ICT-based solutions as
provided by the E-Government plan;
5) Manage operational risks related to ICT in coordination with the agency's management and
stakeholders; and
7)
Ensure that the ICT programs and operations are consistent with national policies and standards.
SEC. 8. Local Government Unit (LGU) ICT Officers. - Each LGU shall have an ICT Officer
assigned to manage and supervise its adoption of the E-Government Plan. The LGU ICT Officer is
likewise tasked to spearhead seminars and other means of educating the community to maximize
E-Government initiatives.
SEC. 9. E-Government Status Report. - Each agency and LGU shall compile and submit an annual
E-Government Status Report on:
(a) the status of the implementation of electronic government initiatives;
(b) compliance by the agency with this Act; and
(c) performance in delivering programs through the E Government to constituencies. 
SEC. 10. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The DICT shall, in coordination with relevant
agencies and upon consultation with stakeholders, issue within sixty (60) days from the effectivity
of this Act, the necessary rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this Act.
SEC. 11. Separability Clause. – If any provision of this Act shall be declared unconstitutional or
invalid, the other provisions not otherwise affected shall remain in full force and effect.
SEC. 12. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and regulations and other
issuances or parts thereof which are inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed, amended or
modified accordingly.
SEC. 13. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in a
newspaper of general circulation. 
Approved.