E GOVERNANCE FOR DEVELOPMENT Dannug, Campanilla, Politics and Governance

What is E Governance? Delivery of government services and information to the public using electronic means (information technology). Giving citizens the choice of when and where they access government information and services. Rules, procedures can be made transparent to the citizens.

Integrated government-community- citizen infrastructure. Government becomes more integrated in to the community itself, but can focus its resources where they are needed most. A culture of “self-service” enables citizens to “help themselves”, saving time and money for all concerned.

March 25,2002, former Labor Sec. Patricia Sto March 25,2002, former Labor Sec. Patricia Sto. Tomas said that e governance through the maximized use of ICT can address fundamental problems like unemployment, low productivity as well as deteriorating quality of education and manpower development.

“The use by government agencies of ICT to transform relations with citizens, business and other arms of government in the delivery of services. E governance should enable the government to give citizens the choice when and where they can access government info and services.

It would effect greater transparency in government operations, increase the capacity of public sector organizations, and foster pro-active participation of citizens in government.” (Sto. Tomas, P. ) Renu Budhiraja, predicts the strong impact of IT and Information Highways to development trends which will dominate the 21st century.

Governments must take into account the need to create development systems and models that employ the application of IT to the process of government functions to bring about SMART governance.”

SMART2 GOVERNANCE Simple/ speedy Moral/ Manageable Accountable/ Attainable Responsible/ Reform-oriented Transparency/ Time driven

Simple – e governance systems and operations are easy to understand and can easily be accessed by governance publics and constituents. Moral – e governance practices and processes that promote ethical standards which are widely and broadly acceptable to leaders and constituents.

Accountable – e governance system should be able to account damaging tendencies that stunt growth and be able as well to account the variables that make progress possible. Responsible – e governance promotes responsibility, identifies who does what, and defines who is who in the scheme of things.

Transparent – e governance must be free from any deceitful and illegal transactions. Speedy – speed of e governance lies in real-time response-efficiency rating to address public needs and expectations. Meaningful – e governance must instill a good sense of life among its owners and clients.

Accessible – inexpensive accessibility to public services marks an effective and efficient e governance model. It ensures the value of utility and equity in the delivery of publics goods and services. Reform-oriented – e governance is a strategic framework for a planned change efforts and programs. Policy reforms is the life of good governance.

Time driven – e governance believes in deadlines and at the end of the day bottom lines.

E GOVERNMENT VS. E GOVERNANCE “E governance is beyond the scope of e government. While e government is defined as mere delivery of government services and information to the public using electronic means, e governance allows direct participation of constituents in government activities.” (Inter-American Development Bank)

Blake Harris, “E governance is not just about government website and email. It is not about service delivery over the Internet. It is not just about digital access to government info or electronic payments. It will change how citizens relate to government as much as it changes how citizens relate to each other.

It will bring forth new concepts of citizenships, both in terms of needs and responsibilities. E governance will allow citizens to communicate with government, participate in the government’s policy making and citizens to participate in the government decision-making process, reflect their true needs and welfare by utilizing e government as a tool.

E governance requires new styles of leadership, new ways of listening to citizens, and new ways of organizing and delivering info and services.

SCOPE OF E GOVERNANCE Richard Heeks, “developing country governments have been using IT for more than 40 years. What is new is that we are moving on from IT to Information Communications Technology (ICT) and IT Information Systems (IS) which he describes as the New Digital Connections (NDC).

The old model, Heeks says was one of IT automating the internal workings of government by processing data. The new models is one of ICTs supporting and transforming the external workings of governance by processing and communicating data.

He said that e governance should be seen to encompass all ICTs but the key innovation is computer networks – from intranets to the internet – creating a wealth of new digital connections.

1. connections within government – permitting joined up thinking. 2. connections between government and NGOs/Citizens –strengthening accountability. 3. connections between government and business/ citizens – transforming service delivery.

4. connections within and between NGOs – supporting learning and concerted action. 5. connections within and between communities – building social and economic development.

The scope of e governance does not include e commerce and e business, instead it covers e Administration (improving government processes), e Citizens and e Services (connecting people), e Society (building interactions among people).

E Administration means improving processes and practices in the public sector. This includes cutting costs, managing process performance, making strategic connection in government and empowering stockholders.

E Citizens and E Services connect citizens by establishing mechanisms for talking and listening to citizens and improving public services. E citizens become more informed and independent access to info makes them relatively more sovereign in their dealings with one another and with their government. Thus, E Services is a by product of high demands of E citizens.

E Society includes initiatives for working better with business, developing communities and building partnerships. Convergence, networking, counter-parting, complementation, resource-sharing, and collaborations are encouraged tendencies in E Society.