Local chief executives were urged to speed up the establishment of their respective electronic business one-stop shop (eBOSS).
Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) Secretary Ernesto Perez made the call to local government units (LGUs) in a bid to achieve the government's goal to digitalize the bureaucracy.
"ARTA is urgng LGU chiefs to fast-track the establishment of the electronic Business One-Stop Shop (eBOSS) in furtherance of President Marcos Jr.'s directive to utilize technology to make the bureaucracy more efficient and citizen-centric," Perez said.
Perez further said that the 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."
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.
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.
All cities and municipalities shall comply with the automation requirements under said provision by June 17, 2021.
According to ARTA - Compliance Monitoring and Evaluation Office (CMEO), 1, 230 or 75.28 percent of LGUs in the country have established their own eBOSS.
Based on the agency's compliance checklist report, 502 of these are partially or fully implemented.
Cities and municipalities 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) that is available for free or other similar online business permitting systems of LGUs.
Marcos has acknowledged that the Philippines has "not progressed" much as far as digital transformation is concerned amid the many innovations and technologies available at present.
Under his administration, he intends to achieve a "digital Philippines" as he is convinced that digitalizing the bureaucracy plays a crucial role in the country's growth and sustainability.