Some 1,230 local government units (LGUs) or 75.28 percent of total have complied with the Electronic Business One-Stop Shops (eBOSS) Compliance Report of the Anti Red Tape Authority (ARTA) as of Dec. 31, 2022.
ARTA also reported that 502 LGUs had partially or fully implemented eBOSS. The eBOSS is aimed to streamline the procedures for the filing of applications and issuance of local business licenses, permits, clearances, and authorizations through the LGU's provision and usage of an on-demand single, digital portal.
ARTA further reminded the non-compliant LGUs as the deadline for business registrations and renewals closes this January 2023.
LGUs were mandated to implement eBOSS three years upon the effectivity of Republic Act 11032 or the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018, pursuant to Section 11 (c) of the same law. Accordingly, all cities and municipalities shall comply with the automation requirements under said provision by 17 June 2021.
As such, the Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) No. 01, series of 2021 of ARTA, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Information and Communication Technology, or the Guidelines for Processing Business Permits, Related Clearances and Licenses in All Cities and Municipalities was issued to provide the standards and guidelines to be implemented by the LGUs in compliance with the automation requirements of the law.
“ARTA is urging LGU chiefs to fast-track the implementation of the eBOSS in furtherance of President Marcos, Jr.'s directive to utilize technology to make the bureaucracy more efficient and citizen-centric,” ARTA Secretary Ernesto V. Perez stated.
"eBOSS is highly relevant as it provides a digitalized and streamlined business processing and licensing system that will entice more entrepreneurs to register their business, supporting local economic recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic," Perez added.
LGUs which still have not developed their own eBOSS have the option to use the integrated Business Permitting and Licensing System or iBPLS developed by the Department Information and Communications Technology (DICT), which is available for free or other similar online business permitting systems of LGUs.