In a move to strengthen digital inclusion and modernize public service delivery, the Provincial Government of Eastern Samar, in partnership with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), inaugurated a Digital Transformation Center (DTC) and launched an eGov Kiosk on June 23, bringing key government services closer to communities through technology-driven innovations.
Governor Ralph Vincent ‘RV’ Evardone and DICT Assistant Secretary and OIC Regional Director Melvyn Carlo T. Barroa led the launching ceremony held at the Provincial Capitol.
Governor Evardone shared that he personally used the eGov Kiosk during the fiber backbone launching in Tacloban City last year, where he was impressed by its user-friendly design and capabilities, particularly its locally developed artificial intelligence system that can understand and respond in the Waray language.
He said the kiosk is highly accessible and easy to use, noting that even non-tech-savvy users can comfortably navigate its features. While acknowledging that access is currently limited since the kiosk is installed at the Capitol, he said citizens may still access similar services through the eGov mobile application, which offers nearly the same features.
Evardone also noted that the eGov Kiosk in Eastern Samar is the first of its kind installed at a provincial government site in Eastern Visayas.
“This is very user-friendly and can be used even by those who are not very familiar with technology,” Evardone said. “We were also impressed that it can understand our local language, making government services more inclusive and accessible.”
Established under the DICT’s Technology for Education, Employment, Entrepreneurship, and Economic Development (Tech4ED) Program, the Digital Transformation Center will serve as a hub for digital innovation and capacity-building in the province.
Equipped with 30 laptops provided by the DICT, the center serves as a training facility for teachers, government employees, local government units, and officials undergoing digital upskilling. Training sessions will be conducted by DICT experts as resource speakers and trainers.
Evardone stressed the importance of strengthening digital literacy amid rapid technological change, saying that adaptation is essential in today’s increasingly digital world. He also thanked the DICT and legislators for supporting funding for digital infrastructure and capacity-building initiatives.
For his part, DICT Assistant Secretary Barroa emphasized that full digital transformation can only be achieved through collaboration between the national government agencies and local government units.
“To accomplish a completely digitized Philippines, it is not only the DICT that must work; it is a partnership with local government counterparts,” Barroa said. “When LGUs actively push for the digitization of their processes, the DICT will continue to support these initiatives.”
He also commended the Provincial Government of Eastern Samar for its commitment to digitalization, noting that the facilities are safe spaces for stakeholders’ training, learning, and upskilling.
Barroa highlighted the eGov platform as one of the government’s flagship digital applications in streamlining and modernizing public services.
DICT Provincial Director Dante Rosales, concurrent head for eGov, said the agency will continue its push toward a fully digitized province through sustained training programs and other capacity-building initiatives.
He emphasized that with the services and programs launched, DICT remains committed to strengthening digital adoption at the local level and ensuring that stakeholders are equipped with the necessary skills to use emerging technologies and e-government platforms.
The initiatives are in support of the national government’s digital transformation agenda under the administration of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., aimed at improving efficiency, transparency, and access to public services across all levels of government, as part of ongoing efforts to modernize governance systems and expand access to digital government services across Eastern Samar.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Vee Tolentino-Gumban
Dieser Artikel ist neu veröffentlicht von / This article is republished from: Philippine Information Agency, 24.06.2026
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