New special envoy to prioritize judiciary modernization

Dennis Anthony Uy. Contributed photo

Fiber internet tycoon Dennis Anthony Uy of Pampanga is working to upgrade and digitalize the country’s courts as his first project as special envoy to South Korea for digital transformation.

Uy, a successful businessman and the cofounder of listed broadband giant Converge ICT Solutions, said new technology solutions will allow the electronic filings of cases and to streamline other court processes, helping the Philippines become more completive against its regional peers.

While the marching orders from President Marcos was broad, Uy said modernizing certain court processes, potentially using technology and moving away from paper-based filings, was a priority after a request was made by Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo.

“Our court system right now is very outdated and is very paper-based,” Uy said in an interview.

“The justice system is so slow. We need to digitalize their platform so people can do online filings, online hearings and other documentation, like what they’re doing in South Korea,” he added.

South Korea began efforts to computerize its court systems in the 1970s, according to the World Bank. It is also a leader in Asia and third in world behind Denmark and Finland in terms of e-government, based on the United Nations’ 2022 e-government index. The Philippines ranks No. 89 on the list.

Uy, who was sworn in as special envoy last week, has long-standing business relationships with Korea’s technology conglomerates such as KT Corp., the country’s second-biggest telecommunications firm, and Samsung.

KT is one of Converge’s strategic partners when it launched its $2 billion nationwide rollout plan five years ago. Uy said he initially declined President Marcos’ offer for the role but he eventually gave in because of the drastic need for technology reforms.

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He recently traveled to Seoul to meet counterparts in the Korean government and also for business. He sees his role as a facilitator between the Philippine government and potential partners because of his extensive network but also his deep understanding of technology.

“We have a lot of capable partners so I can pinpoint this guy and put them together so it’s like a puzzle that I can piece together,” Uy said. On President Marcos, he described him as someone “who understands the role private sector can play to move things faster.”

“I’m not a government employee. I just report to the Office of the President as an advisor and to give them solutions for the betterment of the country. That’s all I can do,” he said.