CLARK FREEPORT, PAMPANGA — Over 2,100 local legislators filled the SMX Convention Center Clark for a crucial conversation on future-proofing public service. The centerpiece of the Philippine Councilors League 2026 convention was a compelling address by Clark Development Corporation President and CEO Atty. Agnes VST Devanadera, who challenged councilors to look past the technical mechanics of software. Her central message was clear: “The human factor is something you cannot divorce from digitalization.”
The Clark Blueprint for Digital Governance
Devanadera, drawing from her vast experience in both local executive and national roles, highlighted how automation serves local governance by freeing up human capital for more meaningful citizen engagement. She cited Clark’s own experience as an example of how a well-organized, investor-responsive environment can generate employment and economic activity, with the Freeport currently hosting more than 1,200 locators employing about 151,000 regular workers. Clark’s digitalization efforts—including the Business One-Stop Shop (BOSS), the Fiscal Incentives Review Board’s 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 . “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,” Devanadera told the assembled legislators.
Three Principles for Transformative Local Governance
Devanadera emphasized that technology should be guided by three principles: simplification of government processes, predictability of government services, and keeping government human . She explained that paperless legislative sessions, digital records, automated tax computation, and streamlined permitting reduce waiting time, improve efficiency, and give government workers more opportunity to engage directly with the public . The convention, themed “e-Legislature 2026: Empowering Sanggunians Through Digitalization, Smart Technology, and Innovative Local Policy,” underscored the growing recognition that councilors are no longer limited to passing ordinances and resolutions but play a significant role in shaping community development . By shifting to digital frameworks, local government units can achieve transformative goals including humanizing bureaucracy, enhancing economic magnetism through lower costs of doing business, and synchronizing executive-legislative efforts for accurate community development planning.
