Delivering efficient eGovernment services to the public requires fast Internet connectivity, among others. The Government Network, or simply known as GovNet, is a project of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) under the National Broadband Program that aims to interconnect government agencies in the country to enable faster communication, better coordination, easier access to online services, and simplified processes.

Zamboanga City, located in the southern part of the Philippine Archipelago with a population of One Million people, has been identified as one of the priority sites in the country. The project started in 2018 and was launched in June 2020. It involved the laying out of 33 kilometers of fiber connectivity to 88 government offices and schools in the City. As of writing, 102 government offices and schools are connected to the Government Network because of the high demand, and this number is expected to increase in the coming months.

The Government Network is critical in Zamboanga City, and especially relevant in this time of pandemic where the government shifted to online transactions to deliver its services. Through GovNet, agencies can maximize the use of ICT in the new normal in facilitating government transactions and at the same time, addressing Government to Government, Government to Business, and Government to Customer transactions.

https://i.gov.ph/govnet/

• Zamboanga City, Philippines

• Youth
• Older persons
• Women
• The unemployed
• The poor
• Migrants
• Remote and rural communities
• Government Agencies

This project is a priority project of the Government of the Philippines and has already been implemented in 13 cities in the country. This will be further expanded in the coming years targeting all 81 provinces in the country until all of government from the national to the local government is connected.

The DICT, being the lead agency for ICT in the country, stands at the forefront of delivering e-services to the people . In the fulfillment of its mandate to ensure universal access to quality, affordable, reliable and secure ICT services, DICT is mandated to sustain this project.

There are now 102 agencies connected to GovNet in Zamboanga City as of writing. With the ongoing development and improvement of DICT’s infrastructure, more agencies will be connected to GovNet; thus, more agencies can reap its benefits.

GovNet has shown its relevance during this time of pandemic where connectivity is crucial. The pandemic has challenged the current systems in place, but with GovNet, agencies are still able to serve their purpose to the community, and the community is able to link with government agencies as well.

Being the primary policy, planning, coordinating, implementing, and administrative entity of the Executive Branch of the government, the DICT aims to interconnect government to government, be it domestic or global, government to businesses, and government to customers. With GovNet, the provision of necessary infrastructure and ICT equipment needed to support the DICT’s agenda of a recalibrated digital government for the “new normal” is made possible. Government agencies are also able to offer their services to the people with GovNet as the source of their Internet connectivity. Through GovNet, agencies now have faster communication, better coordination, easier access to online services, and simplified processes. Ultimately, the people win in terms of experiencing better government services.