PEZA, DICT to boost ecozone ICT system

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) has partnered with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) for a more synchronized and well-coordinated information communications technology (ICT) system in the ecozones.

In a statement yesterday, PEZA said its director-general Tereso Panga recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with DICT Secretary Ivan John Uy for this initiative.

“This partnership is our agencies’ response to the call of President Marcos, to ramp up digitalization in government to ensure fast and efficient delivery of services to the public,” Panga said.

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.

In addition, 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 eight-point socio-economic agenda.

In turn, the PEZA shall provide guidance on its processes and relevant information and data to DICT ensuring that respective systems and applications are interoperable.

Uy said that the MOU signing for e-governance between PEZA and DICT would encourage 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.

“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,” Uy said.

Panga emphasized that PEZA is committed to carry out DTI Secretary Alfredo 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.

“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 with,” Panga said.

He said 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.

“PEZA 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,”Panga said.

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.