PHL still lagging in Internet use – Palace

Communications Secretary Sonny Coloma on Thursday underscored President Aquino’s commitment to utilize new media but admitted low Internet penetration in the Philippines is still a major obstacle to widespread adoption by government agencies and the general public. Less than a third of the population has Internet access. In his keynote speech at the 5th Internet and Mobile Marketing Association of the Philippines Summit, Coloma explained the Aquino administration's plans for “Philippine Government 2.0," in which online and social media are expected to play key roles. “(Our use of) social media isn’t just a means of informing people. We have a purposive program to move and translate them (into action) on the ground," Coloma explained at the summit which was held at Rockwell Power Plant mall in Makati City. Citing statistics from Singapore Management University, he showed that Filipinos’ heavy adoption of social media — with 24.1 million Facebook users and 4.01 million Twitter users as of mid-2011 alone — convinced the government that such “new media" are potent tools for governance. Internal adoption of new media Aside from using existing social media tools to help relay citizens' concerns to the appropriate government agencies for immediate action, he said government itself is looking to use new media for streamlining its internal operations. According to Coloma, President Aquino has ordered all government agencies and local government units to use the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) for all purchases. “This could translate into savings of as much as P6 billion or $142 million annually," Coloma said. Internet penetration is key Ultimately, Coloma explained, the country's Philippine Digital Strategy aims to create a “digitally empowered society where everyone has reliable, affordable and secure information access." He cited as a best-practice example the web portal of the Australian Government, which offers a streamlined online experience for that country’s citizens to interact with government agencies. However, Coloma admitted that the Australian portals effectiveness is due largely to the fact that most of the country's citizens have Internet access — 80 percent, versus the Philippines’ 29 percent. Nevertheless, Coloma expressed optimism in surmounting the problem: “The National Telecommunications Commission is closely monitoring (mobile internet access costs). We definitely want it to be more affordable for everyone," he said. — MRT/VS/HS, GMA News