Secretary Jeremiah B. Belgica said the next administration will benefit from what the Anti Red Tape Authority (ARTA) has gained from the implementation of measures to make the bureaucracy move faster and remove government red tape.
“For me everything and anything that we're doing now becomes a seed or a promise to the next administration in the next generation,” said Belgica at the culmination Monday, March 7, of the weeklong event “Zero Backlog Policy, Paigtingin! 3-7-20, Laging Sundin”. March 7 of each year has also been designated as the “Zero Backlog Day” or the deadline in the submission of the zero backlog report.
Belgica also made an assurance that for the duration of their stint in government, their exit plan is to raise the momentum of their activities. As appointed government officials, the duty of the ARTA top leaders is commensurate with the Duterte administration, which will end after the May 2022 elections.
“Rest assured that as long as we are here, our exit plan in ARTA, as we approach the end of the term of this administration is to continue on increasing the momentum,” said Belgica.
Belgica, however, reiterated that "corruption and red tape is always a two way street” as he urged the private sector to fight for their right and not be a party to corruption. “You insist on your rights based on the Citizen’s charter. We always say that the Citizen’s Chart is your charter, it’s for the people,” he said. The Citizen’s Charter is a list of requirements that an agency requires from the public for every transaction.
Belgica further stressed that the reforms against red tape in government are moving fast and increasing its momentum steadily that “Anyone who chooses not to move will simply be ran over by the people's reform train against red tape.”
For the past two and half years since the implementation of Republic Act No. 11032 or the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018 that created ARTA.
Belgica spearheaded a crackdown in government agencies starting with the priority sectors such as the Food and Drugs Authority, telco, housing and logistics that have been sitting on applications not just for days and months, but years.
It has forged various joint memorandum circulars with government agencies to streamline processes and to stop them from operating in silos.
ARTA made the heads and personnel of government agencies, local government units and other government instrumentalities accountable in the implementation of the 3-7-20 day processing period for government transaction.
As of February 2022, ARTA had already filed 561 cases against fixers and government workers who violated RA 11032.
Failure to act on applications and requests within the prescribed processing time is also listed as violation of the law. First-time offenders will be held administratively liable with six months' suspension.
For the second and succeeding offense, violators will be held administratively and criminally liable with dismissal from the service, perpetual disqualification from holding public office and forfeiture of retirement benefits. They will also face imprisonment of one to six years with a fine of P500,000 to P2 million. Should they be found to be colluding with fixers, they will also be held criminally liable and face cases for violation of the Revised Penal Code and other applicable laws.