Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin emphasized on Saturday that the Marcos administration’s digitalization efforts are crucial in promoting transparency and accountability in government.
In a column published in the Philippine Star, Bersamin said President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s “two-pronged approach” aims to streamline and digitalize government processes to eliminate corruption and ensure full public disclosure.
“This strategy recognizes a fundamental truth: corruption thrives in opacity, while transparency fosters integrity,” Bersamin said.
He added that the country’s experience shows how digital transformation empowers citizens, creates transparency, and builds accountability as part of the vision for a “Bagong Pilipinas (New Philippines).”
However, Bersamin echoed the President’s view that technology alone cannot end corruption. He stressed the need for “deeper cultural change” anchored on Filipino values of “katapatan, malasakit, pakikipag-kapwa and bayanihan (honesty, caring, camaraderie and solidarity).”
“Technology must be paired with Filipino values … When government officials embody these values, citizens receive respectful service, fair treatment and equal access to opportunities,” Bersamin said.
He also highlighted the importance of collaboration with international partners like the United Nations (UN). He noted the country’s partnership with the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has strengthened the Philippines’ reform agenda.
“Collaborating with international partners, such as the United Nations, is essential. Multilateralism helps create platforms for countries to learn from each other, exchange best practices while adapting solutions and global standards to local contexts,” Bersamin said.
Bersamin cited the New Government Procurement Act (NGPA), passed in 2024 through cooperation with the UNODC, as a significant reform. The NGPA enhances the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and introduces an e-Marketplace modeled on popular e-commerce platforms.
A key NGPA provision requires all bidders, suppliers, contractors, and consultants to disclose their ultimate owners before participating in government procurement.
“This groundbreaking provision directly addresses bid collusion, where different companies controlled by the same individual bid against each other for the same contract,” Bersamin explained.
He said the disclosure helps expose hidden conflicts of interest, ensuring the integrity of the procurement process.
“For citizens, this means greater assurance that public funds aren’t being diverted through shadow companies or manipulated bidding. For honest businesses, it creates a more level playing field where merit rather than connections determines who wins government contracts,” he added.
Thanks to ongoing reforms, the Philippines now ranks sixth among 18 countries in the Asia Pacific Digital Nations Index and leads Southeast Asia in digital governance, Bersamin noted.