Towards Digital Governance Divide Index Development: Evaluating City Government Websites in the Philippines

The Philippines has actively pursued e-government initiatives, yet Local Government Units (LGUs) need support to achieve optimal digital governance and improve public service delivery. This study assessed the websites of all 33 Highly Urbanized Cities (HUCs) in the Philippines, identifying significant performance gaps based on the internationally recognized Rutgers E-Governance Performance Index. Through qualitative analysis, content deficiencies were highlighted, leading to the development of the Digital Governance Divide Index (DGDI), encompassing five key dimensions: content quality, data privacy, inclusivity, public engagement, and technical infrastructure. The DGDI framework offers actionable recommendations for LGUs to enhance their digitalization efforts and supports policy development to advance e-government readiness. Additionally, the findings contribute to the academic literature by addressing the digital governance gap in local government websites and provide practical insights for improving e-governance to better meet citizens’ needs.