The case for digital transformation

THE COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent Enhanced Community Quarantine here in our country have far-reaching effects, not only on our health system but also our economy. Hence, a balance must be struck between limiting the spread of the disease, and finding ways to keep our economy afloat. Amidst all the hard decisions and challenges, our recent experiences as a nation highlights yet another thing — that going digital is of utmost importance.
When we realized that the process of manually checking quarantine passes was slowing down frontliners and essential deliveries such as medical and food supplies, RapidPass.ph was developed. Qualified frontliners, essential workers, distributors and suppliers  can register at the RapidPass website, and then they will be assigned a unique Quick Response or QR code that can be kept as a graphic in the user’s mobile devices, or printed out as a physical pass. Checkpoint personnel can then scan these graphic codes, and check the user’s identification card without any need for further questions. This speeds up the approval process at checkpoints, as well as automatically creates records of each RapidPass user’s travels through the National Capital Region (NCR).   

When people could not physically visit groceries and supermarkets, Grab Philippines and other TNVS companies stepped up to the proverbial plate, by introducing grocery and food delivery services, with an emphasis on online cash transactions and guidelines based on social distancing. Some restaurant chains, like Jollibee and McDonald’s, have modified their operations, effectively becoming service kitchens dedicated to delivery orders — with some capitalizing on online platforms.  Meanwhile, North Cotabato has launched a digital marketing platform for its wet markets that will serve as an online space where people can order food, with delivery done by government transport resources.

With people unable to go to their offices, work from home (WFH) arrangements became the go-to solution for many companies, with the adoption of large-scale conferencing platforms like Webex and Zoom for staff and client meetings. Some employees have even been supplied laptops so they can work with office resources that can be accessed online.
With doctors very busy as the frontliners, telehealth services have become an important component for diagnosing people who may have been infected with COVID-19. Much like a conference call, telehealth services allow doctors to conduct consultations and prescribe treatments — all without the need for a visit to hospitals, where patients and frontliners alike can get exposed to COVID-19.

In 2011, my father saw the potential of telehealth services, and as Chairman of the Congressional Commission on Science & Technology and Engineering (COMSTE) identified telehealth services as a top national priority. It is with this in mind that I intend to file a bill endorsed by the Department of Health, which will establish a Philippine eHealth system and set of services that will include telehealth and telemedicine. Along with online diagnostic services, electronic prescriptions will also be covered by this bill, so that access to critical drugs will be available even in difficult times.

In terms of online classes, the Department of Education has made its online learning delivery platform more inclusive, with expanded features for private school students. Now, all schools offering basic education will be able to use it. From its start as an Alternative Learning System, the DepEd Commons has evolved to make sure that learning can continue even in the face of real-world emergencies. As it is available online, access is possible through mobile devices and computers.

With all these developments, it seems that the country is primed to go full-on digital. But for every problem addressed with a digital solution, it seems there are countless others that were tackled via “analog” means. Bar-coded IDs still needed to be printed before LGUs could distribute aid from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).  As of the third report on the implementation of the Bayanihan Act, the Department of Health (DOH) was still exploring computer applications (does that include mobile?) for its contact tracing efforts. 

Clearly, there is still much to do. The concept of a digital economy hinges on the availability of reliable digital and online resources and services to as many people as possible. However, according to a recent Oxford Business Group report, 29 million Filipinos have yet to go online, thanks to problems in affordability, availability, and quality of Internet services.

If our economy were more digitally-enabled and connected, we would have been able to address many of the ongoing pandemic’s challenges much sooner. Hence, the shift to a digitally transformed economy should be a high priority once the lockdown is lifted.

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Sen. Sonny Angara has been in public service for 15 years — nine years as Representative of the Lone District of Aurora, and six as Senator. He has authored and sponsored more than 200 laws.  He is currently serving his second term in the Senate. (Email: sensonnyangara@yahoo.com| Facebook, Twitter & Instagram: @sonnyangara/PN)