President Rodrigo Roa Duterte on Thursday urged the Philippine Postal Corporation (PHLPost) to continue its modernization efforts to ensure the “seamless” delivery of government services even beyond his term.

During the launch of the Digital Innovation and Modernization of PHLPost, Duterte expressed confidence that PHLPost would never cease to undertake reform initiatives that would expedite government transactions.

“In fulfillment of this administration’s Ease of Doing Business agenda beyond my term, I hope that you will constantly explore innovations and strategies that will further streamline, develop, and improve government services to the people for greater efficiency,” he said in a speech delivered at Manila Central Post Office in Manila.

The PHLPost’s event showcased the 46 brand new vans that will be used to speed up the delivery of mails and improve the post office’s network capabilities in cities and municipalities nationwide.

The innovation services offered by the PHLPost include the mobile application that will be used for online remittance, bills payment for all major utilities, merchant payments for government contributions, mail tracking, and mail service fee computation.

The Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) which covers the digitalization of the PHLPost, as well as the experimental launch of postal cards with advanced financial features, are also part of the post office’s modernization efforts.

The ERP will launch a new website, a mail management system with an automated letter sorting machine that can process 40,000 mails per hour, a corporate financial management information system, a financial counter system and a human resource information system.

Restoring integrity

Duterte said he is optimistic that the PHLPost’s initiatives would help restore its integrity.

This, as he acknowledged the public complaints against the supposed shortcomings of the PHLPost.

“I hope that these innovations, digital and all, will bring back the integrity of the Post Office,” Duterte said. “Karamihan kasi dito (Many of the post offices) — noon (it’s in the past), not now — many years ago, the complaint of the public was that fundamentally, ‘yung mga packages nila nabuksan, nawala (their packages were either opened or missing), all sorts of you know things that would make a person unhappy.”

He said the PHLPost’s efforts to improve the government services will boost the country’s global competitiveness and stimulate economic activities during the period of digital transition and recovery from the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

He said the Covid-19 pandemic has “opened avenues for innovative products and systems that cater to the needs of consumers in the new normal, where data and technology now drive the market.”

“With the success of this project, I thus commend the PHLPost for ensuring responsive and people-centered governance, placing Filipinos at the heart of their operations towards building a high-trust society,” Duterte said.

Duterte hoped that the PHLPost’s pursuit for change and progress would gain “more momentum” in the coming years.

“The modernization efforts of the postal agency are indeed timely and relevant as it facilitates the efficient delivery of communications, payment of services, as well as goods and merchandise, especially now that industries and businesses shift their operations to more modern methods such as e-commerce and online transactions,” he said.

Duterte also appealed to the PHLPost to help stop the corrupt activities of the personnel of the Bureau of Customs (BOC).

He made the statement, as he sought the speedy promotion of the PHLPost workers.

“Help the Customs erase the, itong lagayan ng (cases of) corruption,” Duterte told the PHLPost, as he stressed the need for BOC personnel to “behave.” (PNA)