CLARK FREEPORT — “Digitalization, however, is not the objective. It should empower the sanggunian. It should empower the local government. We are having technology because we want to improve our governance.”
Thus, Clark Development Corp. president and CEO Atty. Agnes VST Devanadera called on local legislators to harness digitalization and smart technology not merely to modernize government operations, but to transform the way people experience public service.
Devanadera made the call in her keynote address at the the Philippine Councilors League 2026 3rd Quarterly Continuing Local Legislative Education Program on Oct. 8 at the SMX Convention Center Clark here.
Some 2,100 local legislators attended the event themed “e-Legislature 2026: Empowering Sanggunians Through Digitalization, Smart Technology, and Innovative Local Policy.”
Drawing from her own experience as a former local chief executive and national government official, Devanadera said councilors are no longer limited to passing ordinances and resolutions, but play a significant role in shaping the development of their communities, thereby requiring them to take a more active role in their respective development plans and in advancing policies that respond to the needs of their constituents.
Effective collaboration between the legislative and executive branches are imperative to accelerate local development, she said.
For Devanadera, technology should be guided by three principles: simplification of government processes, predictability of government services, and keeping government human.
She cited paperless legislative sessions, digital records, automated tax computation, and streamlined permitting as examples of technology in governance. These, she said, reduce waiting time, improve efficiency, and give government workers more opportunity to engage directly with the public.
“The human factor is something you cannot divorce from digitalization,” she said, stressing that automation should not remove the personal dimension of public service. Instead, it should allow government personnel to spend more time understanding and responding to people’s needs.
She also urged local legislators to make their municipalities and cities more business-friendly, pointing to efficient permitting and lower costs of doing business as key factors in attracting investments and strengthening local economies.
Devanadera cited Clark’s own experience as an example of how a well-organized, investor-responsive environment can generate employment and economic activity, with Clark currently hosting more than 1,200 locators employing about 151,000 regular workers.
Clark’s digitalization efforts, such as the Business One-Stop Shop (BOSS), Fiscal Incentives Review Board (FIRB) – Incentives Monitoring System (FIRMS), and the Business Interdependence System (BIS) reflect the integration of digital tools in advancing ease of doing business and stimulating the economy.
She likewise encouraged local governments to use technology responsibly, particularly in protecting the security and integrity of government systems and ensuring that digital solutions are user-friendly and suited to their intended purpose. CDC-PR
