The Philippine Economic Zone Authority is revitalizing its digitization push in ecozones following the sealing of a memorandum of understanding between PEZA and the Department of Information and Communications Technology.

According to PEZA Director General Tereso Panga and DICT Secretary Ivan John Uy, the MoU signed by both agencies last 18 May Thursday at the PEZA Head Office was aimed to reach a more synchronized and well-coordinated ICT system in the ecozones.

“This partnership is our agencies’ response to the call of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., to ramp up digitalization in government to ensure fast and efficient delivery of services to the public. Additionally, PEZA is committed to carry out DTI Secretary Alfredo E. Pascual’s directive to adopt digital transformation to boost the country’s competitiveness as an investment destination particularly for high-tech and innovator accelerator companies,” said Panga.

“We are once again making another breakthrough as we continuously enhance data security, transparency, and government transactions to better serve our ecozone developers, locators, and investors making the country more conducive to do and expand businesses in,” the PEZA director general added.

Agreeing with President Marcos Jr.’s vision for digital transformation, Uy expressed confidently that the MoU signing for e-governance between PEZA and DICT will unify everyone as one force in government to push for the use of a single operating system for all government transactions ensuring a faster, streamlined, and more convenient delivery of government services in the country.

Strengthening e-governance

In support of the government’s digitalization efforts, the MoU signing ceremony will show a strengthening of collaborations between PEZA and DICT in achieving and promoting interconnection and interoperability of its respective systems and applications to the other.

PEZA Chief Panga highlighted that with the DICT’s help and guidance, the efforts that PEZA has exerted throughout these years, in connection with digitalization, will continue and remain steadfast to enhance office and administrative efficiencies, customer satisfaction, and the delivery of services for a much-improved ease of doing business.

Under the signed MoU, the DICT will assess and evaluate as well as assist in the development and enhancement of current applications and systems of PEZA and provide recommendations and strategy for the improvement of the agency’s ICT system.

The DICT shall also provide an appraisal of the programs and projects that both agencies may agree to develop and shall ensure that identified and existing applications and systems of PEZA will be integrated with DICT and that of the digitalization aspect of President Marcos Jr.’s 8-Point Socio-Economic Agenda.

PEZA, being DICT’s digital transformation partner, shall in turn provide guidance on its processes and relevant information and data to DICT ensuring that respective systems and applications are interoperable.

Eliminate bureaucratic inefficiencies

“By adopting e-governance and advancing the development of various solutions, together, we can eliminate bureaucratic inefficiencies, reduce red tape, and provide faster and more convenient access to critical government services,” the DICT stated.

Likewise, Panga shared that “PEZA has recently rolled out its e-payment system and is set to launch its e-LOA in June this year to automate the remaining office processes to further enhance the facilitation of ecozone shipments. This will make PEZA among the trailblazers in government into cashless and paperless transactions.”

PEZA is also eyeing other high-impact IT infrastructure and automation projects for implementation this year such as hybrid internet connectivity in the ecozones, e-container tracking system with Bureau of Customs (BOC), electronic visa and building permits, e-financial management system, Engineering Permits Assessment Monitoring System (EPAMS), digital marketplace, full integration of the public ecozone command centers, and cyber security solutions.”