A lawmaker of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) has filed a bill proposing the full digitalization of all front-line services of the regional government.

The bill, filed by BARMM parliament member Amir Mawallil, mandates the Bangsamoro Information and Communications Technology Office (BICTO) to create a 10-year roadmap to achieve full digitalization.

“With the allocation of PHP74.4 billion for the BARMM for 2023, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. encouraged the parliament to pass measures that will secure the region’s welfare, particularly the development of digital infrastructure and e-governance,” Mawallil said in a statement Thursday.

Mawallil’s Bill 116 or the “BARMM E-Governance Act of 2022” aims to prioritize the adoption and application of science and technology for the effective delivery of services to the people.

“In response to the call of the national government, this measure seeks to increase the productivity, efficiency, and effectiveness in the delivery of regional government front-line services through the automation of all front-line services,” he added.

The bill requires all BARMM agencies to automate their front-line services by accepting online or electronic submission of applications or requests; issuances of electronic tax bills, fees, and charges; and payments using online payment facilities, among others.

BARMM government offices will be mandated to place on their website a hyperlink or quick response code in their digital payment platforms, where a separate electronic official receipt or a scanned version of the written official receipt is issued by the office and transmitted electronically to the payee.

Other requirements include the issuance of electronic versions of permits, licenses, or clearances, which may be printed by bona fide individuals or entities that have the same level of authority as hard copies issued by the same government office. (PNA)