The digital age has brought immense convenience to people’s lives worldwide, but unfortunately, the Philippine government seems stuck in the past. My recent ordeal with PhilPost and Customs serves as a glaring reminder of the country’s outdated and inefficient systems. It was an experience that highlighted inconvenience and the maddening lack of initiative to modernize our government services.
It all started when I ordered a product from Japan, shipped via Japan Mail and forwarded to PhilPost upon reaching the Philippines. I tracked the shipment using the waybill on PhilPost’s website and saw that the package had arrived. Confident that I could retrieve it without any hassle, I went to the PhilPost office in Lipa City. To my dismay, I was told the parcel was being held by Philippine Customs. The worst part? The staff had no clue why it was held or how I could retrieve it.
Desperate for answers, I turned to the supposedly revolutionary eGov app by the DICT, hoping it could at least provide contact information or a way to address the issue remotely. The app, however, was utterly useless. Its AI chat feature informed me that the only way to resolve the issue was to visit the Customs office in person. Imagine a modern government app that can’t even connect citizens to critical agencies—it’s as if the app exists only as a glorified directory of government websites.
With no other choice, I drove two hours from Lipa City to the PhilPost and Customs office in Pasay. The journey was draining, but I was determined to retrieve my parcel. I arrived early, thinking I could quickly resolve the issue, but even as the second or third person in line, I waited nearly two hours before my name was called.
When I was finally attended to, I discovered why my parcel was being held: Customs needed me to pay tax fees. Questions were asked, documents were reviewed, and only then were they able to compute the amount due. After making the payment, I was handed my package, and I drove back home, exhausted from an ordeal that took over six hours of my day.
Even the PhilPost and Customs facility was utterly subpar. The men’s restroom’s floor was flooded and, while generally clean, it was evident that it hadn’t been upgraded in ages. The exterior of the buildings looked like they hadn’t been attended to since 1945, after World War II. The customer waiting area, though air-conditioned, had a despicable ceiling, and there wasn’t even a system to announce where you were in the queue. To think this is a head office government facility—really, really disappointing and pathetic.
The entire process was both inefficient and unnecessarily stressful. Why should retrieving a parcel require hours of travel, waiting in line, and face-to-face interaction for something as simple as paying a tax fee? In an age where digital solutions are readily available, this experience is not just inconvenient—it’s embarrassing for a country striving to position itself as a player in the global digital economy.
Imagine a system where such issues could be resolved online. Through a truly functional government portal, I could have been notified of the tax fee issue as soon as it arose. A customs agent could have reached out via chat to explain the matter and calculate the fees. I could have paid the amount online, and once the payment was confirmed, the parcel could have been delivered to my home within a day.
This is not an unattainable dream. Many countries have already implemented such systems, making government services seamless and citizen-friendly. Yet here in the Philippines, even the most basic interactions with government agencies are marred by inefficiency, outdated facilities, and a blatant disregard for the citizens’ time and effort.
The government must fast-track efforts to establish a truly reliable, functional, and efficient digital government portal. It’s not just about modernizing systems; it’s about respecting the citizens who are forced to endure these unnecessary inconveniences. The time for excuses is long over—Filipinos deserve better.
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Rafael “Raffy” Gutierrez is a veteran Technology Trainer with over 25 years of experience in networking, systems design, and diverse computer technologies.
