I tried using the eGovPH app again this week. I started with its “AI features,” just to see what they could do. Then I thought, why not explore more?
So I did. But the more I used it, the more I felt something was off.
Some parts of the app don’t really feel like part of the app. When I tap certain services, they just open a government website inside the app. It feels like I’m going in circles. If I still have to use a website, then what is the app really for?
Then I tested some of the newer tools. There’s “Report,” “Weather,” and “Signal.” They sound useful. I expected quick and helpful results.
Instead, I got blank screens. (see video)
Sometimes the app froze. Sometimes it restarted. It didn’t feel safe to depend on. If this is supposed to help people with important tasks, it needs to work every time.
This made me wonder: is this app getting enough support? Because it doesn’t feel like it.
When I checked what other people were saying online, I noticed something interesting. Many users said they mainly use the app for travel. Things like airport forms or travel rules. That’s helpful, sure. But it’s also very limited. This app is supposed to do much more.
It’s supposed to be a one-stop place for government services. But right now, it feels like it only works well for one thing.
Then I read a report from someone who looked into the system behind the app. The report said the government might be spending a lot of money on cloud services. Huge amounts, every month.
If that’s true, then I have to ask: why doesn’t the app feel like it?
The report also said they might be using thousands of servers. That kind of power should make everything fast and smooth. It should handle millions of users without problems.
But that’s not what I see. I see an app that struggles with simple features.
The report also mentioned that there wasn’t much explanation for why such big systems were needed. There were no clear numbers about how many people use the app or how busy it gets.
That’s strange. In any big project, you usually plan based on real needs. You don’t just guess. As a user, I don’t need to know every technical detail. But I can feel when something isn’t working right. And right now, this app doesn’t feel ready.
That’s disappointing, because it has so much potential. Imagine if everything worked smoothly. Imagine if you could do all your government tasks in one place, without delays or errors. That would save time and make life easier for many people.
That’s what this app should be. But to get there, we need to ask tough questions.
Are we building it the right way? Are we spending money wisely? Are we focusing on what users actually need?
Because if the answer is no, then we need to fix it.
This app could be something great.
But only if we do it right.
Dominic “Doc” Ligot is one of the leading voices in AI in the Philippines. Doc has been extensively cited in local and global media outlets including The Economist, South China Morning Post, Washington Post, and Agence France Presse. His award-winning work has been recognized and published by prestigious organizations such as NASA, Data.org, Digital Public Goods Alliance, the Group on Earth Observations (GEO), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the World Health Organization (WHO), and UNICEF.
If you need guidance or training in maximizing AI for your career or business, reach out to Doc via https://docligot.com.
