Sara Duterte pushes digital transformation to fight graft

Vice President Sara Duterte on Monday said that digital technologies can be powerful tools to combat corruption, improve governance, and strengthen transparency across government institutions.

“Technology will be our powerful tool to impose checks and balances, monitor paper trails, eliminate arbitrary and politically motivated decision-making, and prevent unconstitutional budget insertions to curry political favor at the expense of the people’s money,” Duterte said in her speech during the 51st Philippine Business Conference & Expo at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.

The Vice President urged Filipinos to use technology to protect their rights and welfare — “the right to have better governance, the right to have better opportunities in our homeland, and the strong political will to put our leaders in check when they have unforgivably gone beyond the authority that the people have vested in them.”

“Let us use technology and digital transformation as weapons to close the door where corruption once thrived, unchecked and unpunished,” she added.

Duterte emphasized that digital transformation is a strategic tool for governance and nation-building, one that enhances public service delivery and transparency.

“It is our tool to facilitate innovation and enhance our capabilities in delivering public services and responding to disasters, crises, and emergencies. More importantly, it is our weapon against corruption,” she said.

“As we digitize, we automate our processes, make data and all government transactions seamless, borderless, and transparent, and we leave no room for scrupulous backdoor transactions. We take away the power of corrupt leaders to manipulate public funds and capitalize on people’s money for their personal interests, greed, and political ambition,” Duterte added.

According to her, artificial intelligence, data science, and digital media have already transformed how people communicate, collect information, and expand markets beyond borders.

“At the outset, they may be unsettling, yet, they have proven to be more efficient, accurate, speedy, cost-efficient, and effective in providing real-time data as bases for developing products, services, projects, and programs that intuitively address people’s needs and interests,” Duterte said.

She added that technological advancement continues to influence operations and decision-making across industries such as business, education, research, health, public administration, manufacturing, aviation, and even aerospace engineering.

“Digital transformation will be the bridge to the future, paving the way for inclusivity through training, upskilling, deep-dive mentoring, and industry exposure to equip our human resources,” Duterte said. “The new skills and knowledge they acquire will prove useful as they figure into roles that require creative and innovative thinking, problem-solving, and leadership.”

“Beyond employment, let us also strive to position our people to become future innovators, thinkers, producers, and entrepreneurs. Let us hone them to be job creators and economic shapers, bringing in more dynamism to our economy as we diversify our industry mix and create a balance between producers and importers,” the Vice President added.