Streamlining measures should ease supply chain woes -- ARTA
Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) Undersecretary and Officer-in-Charge Ernesto V. Perez said the implementation of industry specific streamlining measures should ease problems faced by the domestic supply chain.
During the 2022 Supply Chain Management Association of the Philippines (SCMAP) Conference, Perez cited ARTA’s initiatives, particularly those aimed at streamlining systems in the logistics and food and pharma sectors.
Among these are Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) No. 2021-01 or the Omnibus Guidelines on Pass-Thru Fees. This issuance prohibits the collection of fees and taxes on the transport of goods and products.
This covers “charges for wharfage, tolls for bridges or otherwise, sticker fee, discharging fee, delivery fee, market fee, toll fee, entry fee, and/or mayor’s permit fee, or other taxes, fees, or charges in any form whatsoever upon such goods or merchandise.”
Another initiative presented before SCMAP was the Unified Logistics Pass (ULP), a unified Quick Response (QR) code that facilitates the unhampered movement of trucks for hire delivering basic goods and necessities.
The ULP aims to eliminate the varying and separate pass-through stickers being required by economic zones, ports, and local government units (LGUs) to allow easier movement and ease port-entry restrictions for trucks.
ARTA recently turned over the said system to the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).
Perez further discussed the Philippine Business Hub (PBH), formerly known as Central Business Portal (CBP), a single online platform for registering businesses.
The PHB reduces the length of days for registering businesses from 33 days and 13 steps to only seven days with only one step. The said portal can be accessed through business.gov.ph.
He also mentioned the Pinas Bilis program, an end-to-end assistance for target national government agency and local government unit beneficiaries.
The said program, done in partnership with the Aboitiz Group, carries the tagline “Quick, Responsive, and Citizen-Centric Government Service." It aims to streamline government processes of target national government agencies and local government units through empowerment activities and through the donation of hardware.
Other ways forward include the interconnection of government systems and data-sharing, implementation of the National Policy on Regulatory Management System (NPRMS), and completion of the government business process mapping (BPM).
"An efficient supply chain system will foster economic development, contribute to the country's GDP, facilitate trade, and improve the country's competitiveness," Perez said.
"We are very supportive of the SCMAP's projects, programs, and initiatives because we believe that our goals for the country are aligned. A strengthened supply chain management system will definitely contribute to a more competitive Philippines with an improved state of doing business," he added.