The Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) will join an inter-agency technical working group (TWG) that will tackle four House bills related to implementing a national digital transformation strategy.
House Economic Affairs Committee Chairperson and AAMBIS-OWA Rep. Sharon Garin, who has long been championing digitalization in the Philippine government, approved the motion to form the TWG during a joint hearing of her panel with the Committee on Information and Communications Technology on Tuesday (Aug. 10).
The House bills (HB) discussed at the hearing were HB 6787 or An Act Providing for a National Digital Transformation Policy and for Other Purposes introduced by Rep. Kristine Alexie Tutor; HB 6874 or An Act Providing for a Comprehensive Policy to Accelerate and Harness the Digital Revolution to Foster Inclusive Economic Growth, Sustainable Development and Participatory Governance introduced by Rep. Jose Francisco “Kiko” Benitez; HB 7049 or An Act Providing for a National Digital Transformation Policy and for Other Purposes introduced by Rep. Frederick Siao; and, HB 7153 or An Act Providing for a National Digital Transformation Policy and Other Purposes introduced by Rep. Alfred Vargas.
ARTA Deputy Director-General for Operations Undersecretary Ernesto Perez expressed the Authority’s support for the said bills and presented the agency’s recommendations.
“The Anti-Red Tape Authority fully supports the initiatives of the House Committee on Economic Affairs, jointly with the Committee on Information and Communications Technology, in formulating policies that aim to institutionalize a National Digital Transformation Policy that shall promote inclusivity and efficiency across all sectors of society, especially the delivery of government services, with regards to the use of information and communications technology,” Perez said.
“We believe that these are vital in our work to ensure that our citizens will only be delivered the highest standards of government services that they deserve,” he added.
Garin said they will be needing ARTA’s participation and technical know-how in the TWG.
“I think we’ll need your slides and your wisdom when we sit down [on] this,” she said during the hearing.
Among ARTA’s recommendations are the adoption of the Philippine Good Regulatory Principles (PGRP) and the Whole-of-Government Reengineering Manual to ensure that processes are streamlined.
The ARTA also recommended the bolstering of digital infrastructure to make digital initiatives more accessible to the public.
Digitalization of government services is one of ARTA’s main goals after streamlining and reengineering, as mandated by Republic Act No. 11032 or the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018.
Perez shared some of ARTA’s digital initiatives including the on-going womb-to-tomb business process mapping for the Central Business Portal (CBP), a single online platform for the registration of new businesses.
The ARTA also ordered local government units to set up their electronic Business One-Stop Shops (eBOSS) as stated by R.A. 11032.
Currently, ARTA is working on improving data-sharing services with the help of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), among others, and the promotion of online payment options in coordination with the Landbank of the Philippines. (ARTA) – jlo
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