Former senator Panfilo Lacson expressed his support for the Marcos administration’s initiative to fully digitalize government operations, emphasizing its potential to reduce corruption and crime. Speaking at a press conference in Pasay City organized by the administration-supported Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas, Lacson highlighted how digitalization could streamline government processes and minimize opportunities for graft.
Lacson stated, ‘I am pleased with the President’s announcement that we are moving towards full digitalization. With a digital government, not only will transactions be faster, but graft and corruption will also decrease because there will be no human intervention; everything will be online.’ He pointed out that online payment systems would eliminate the chance for corrupt practices.
Despite the existence of several anti-corruption laws, including those he helped author, Lacson noted that implementation remains problematic due to human involvement. He referenced the Anti-Red Tape Act of 2007, which sets specific deadlines for government transactions but suffers from non-compliance. Additionally, he mentioned the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA), intended to automate the Bureau of Customs, which has not been fully implemented.
Lacson recalled requesting automation requirements from Customs officials during a budget hearing, but they failed to provide them. He also discussed the Philippine Identification System Act, which he sponsored, aimed at simplifying government transactions and improving crime prevention. However, many Filipinos are still waiting for their national IDs due to reported issues in the bidding and awarding process.
If elected to the Senate, Lacson promised to leverage Congress’s oversight to ensure proper law implementation and to prevent the formulation of implementing rules and regulations from effectively creating new laws or altering existing ones.