The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on Monday to improve the digital services provided by the DFA.
DFA Sec. Enrique Manalo, as well as DICT Sec. MOUs were signed and exchanged by Ivan John Uy.
The treaty formalized the two departments' synergistic cooperation in the digitalization of consular services such as the processing of Philippine passports, visas, and apostille, as well as the authentication of legal papers.
According to the DFA, the MOU is intended to promote and ensure the integration, interoperability, and connectivity of the DFA and DICT systems by ensuring that all applications are "synchronized and well-coordinated."
Manalo went on to say that this was in keeping with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s desire to accelerate the digital transformation of government services for the general population.
In his speech, he added that the collaborative effort between the two departments reflects their shared desire to better and more efficiently serve the people.
Hence, through the Memorandum of Understanding, the DFA and DICT will make extraordinary progress in improving our frontline services.
Uy, for his part, stated that this is only one of the department's many attempts to assist various government departments in becoming "digitally empowered" in carrying out their responsibilities.
Meanwhile, the MOU was signed at the DFA office in Pasay City in the presence of undersecretaries from both agencies.
