MANILA — The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) on Tuesday stressed the importance of the public shifting its mindset to digitalization, too, as the government ramps up its efforts to fully digitalize its systems.

DICT Assistant Secretary Edwin Ligot identified this as one of the challenges so far when it comes to the government's digital push.

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"Kapag sa [information and communications technology] iyong pinag-uusapan natin... 70 to 80 percent of that is peopleware, tinatawag. Yes, there’s hardware; there is process and everything, but iyong mind setting natin dapat mabago, iyon muna, in order for us to work," Ligot said in a televised briefing.

"Kasi madaling gumawa ng sistema, madaling gumawa ng connectivity, but iyong mindset nung paano gamitin ang sistema is another story or ibang istorya iyon. Kailangan maintindihan ng ating pamayanan kung papaano ito," he added.

The official reiterated the relevance of digitalized systems to the public, saying this could help lessen the time of government transactions.

This can also streamline information from different agencies, removing the need for duplicate processes, for example.

At present, government is developing a "Super App," he said, where the public could use only their cellphones for processes and data in the future transactions. DICT Undersecretary Anna Mae Lamentillo earlier said this app will "consolidate government services."

"So, kahit nasa bahay sila nakakapag-transact na sila sa gobyerno. Kumbaga, kung may mga permit fees tayong babayaran, ganoon din, mayroong e-payment na kasama dito na madali lang mag-transact, magbayad instead na pupunta sa bangko, magbabayad, pipila na naman," he said.

"Iyong convenience ng government service will be up to their cellphone na po. So, ito iyong pinakamagandang impact dito."

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The DICT said it was strengthening efforts to fully digitalize government systems with the help of the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA). The office is reviewing systems that could be improved, noted the official.

President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. last month said agencies and localities were "working on a code" for a single government system, which will take into consideration nuances when it comes to local and national-level transactions, as well as the technology being used and their compliance with the law.

Marcos earlier this year vowed to make government services fully digital by 2023 so the public could access and use these easily.

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