By Pearl Gumapos
In celebration of its third anniversary, the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) presented milestones and projects achieved by the agency last June 17 in a virtual press conference.
ARTA Director-General Jeremiah Belgica reported that they have begun the streamlining and automation initiatives of local government units (LGU) in relation to business-related processes.
According to Belgica, ARTA has visited all 17 Metro Manila LGUs and selected national government agencies (NGA) with regards to their business one-stop shop (BOSS). This includes virtual inspections.
“Ang ARTA ay patuloy na nagkakaroon ng surprise inspections,” Belgica said.
As for the electronic BOSS platform (E-BOSS), LGUs have been mandated to automate their business permitting and licensing system by June 17 of this year.
“Under Section 27 ng Republic Act 11032, mandated ang LGUs to transition from manual to electronic. [At merong sistema] na ni-rollout many months ago. Wala pong dahilan ang LGU para sabihin nila na hindi nila ito alam. Ignorance of the law excuses no one,” said ARTA Undersecretary Ernesto Perez.
Republic Act 11032 is also known as the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018.
It is an act that aims to streamline the current systems and procedures of government services.
It applies to all government offices and agencies in the Executive Department including local government units (LGUs), government-owned or -controlled corporations, and other government instrumentalities, located in the Philippines or abroad, that provide services covering business-related and non-business transactions.
“Wag nating gawing dahilan ‘yung mahirap, ‘yung hindi natin alam kasi hindi po tatanggapin ng tao ‘yan. ‘Wag po sanang sabihin sa amin ng LGU na hindi namin alam. Mag earnest efforts nalang po kayo. Gawin po ninyo ang nararapat. Tutulungan po kayo ng ARTA,” Belgica added.
Besides BOSS, ARTA has also launched the Central Business Portal which shall serve as a central system to receive applications and capture application data involving business-related transactions. It can be accessed at business.gov.ph.
ARTA has also launched the National Effort for the Harmonization of Inter-related Agencies (NEHEMIA) Program which is a sectoral-based inter-agency streamlining effort that has as its consideration the speeding up and realization of the Socio-Economic Agenda of the Duterte Administration.
The program has a definite period and clear target which is 52% reduction of times, costs, requirements, or procedures within 53 weeks for the key sectors of society in 2020, Belgica said.
In addition, ARTA is involved in establishing a green lane for the expedited processing of permits for the production of COVID-1 vaccines, Belgica added.
Meanwhile, ARTA plans to release the Philippine Business Registration Information System (PBRIS) which is a web-based platform that will provide real-time access to the regulatory management system and regulations relevant to the public.
“Ito pong PBRIS ay eventually we’re going to launch this within the year and maging fully operational by December,” Perez said. -rir
