Information and Communications Technology Undersecretary for e-Government David Almirol Jr. said the system slowdown was triggered by an overwhelming number of simultaneous transactions, particularly following the rollout of new features on the platform.
“Our servers were overwhelmed due to the surge in eGov usage, especially following the launch of new features,” Almirol said in a statement, noting that the app has reached around 40 million users.
Server Strain
The platform was briefly placed under maintenance as engineers worked to upgrade server capacity and restore stability. The outage lasted several hours over two days, during which users experienced difficulties accessing the app.
Almirol confirmed that the issue has since been resolved, with expanded infrastructure now in place to better handle increasing demand.
“We have resolved the issue. We just need to expand our servers to ensure this will not happen again,” he said.
He also clarified that no hacking or data breach occurred during the incident, emphasizing that user data remains secure.
User Frustration
Prior to the restoration, users reported being unable to log in, create accounts, or complete basic transactions. Error messages such as “We’ll be back in just a moment” and repeated retry prompts circulated widely online.
On April 13, the DICT acknowledged the disruption, saying the app was undergoing maintenance and feature updates, and advised users to try again later.
The downtime sparked frustration among users, particularly on social media platforms such as Reddit, where some questioned the reliability of the government’s digitalization push.
Digital Backbone
The eGovPH app serves as a centralized digital gateway for public services, integrating transactions from multiple national and local government agencies into a single platform.
Its features include digital travel declarations, access to various government-issued IDs, document signing, and AI-assisted support.
As of 2026, the app has reached 40 million downloads and is connected to thousands of government systems, making it a key component of the country’s digital transformation efforts.
Moving forward, the DICT said it is working with key stakeholders, including Malacañang, to further strengthen infrastructure and ensure the platform can support even higher usage as more services are integrated. —Ed: Corrie S. Narisma
