In 2018, Congress passed Republic Act No. 11032, An Act Promoting the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Delivery of Government Services. The law amended Republic Act No. 9485, otherwise known as the Anti Red-Tape Act of 2007. The enactment of these laws demonstrates the government’s determination to remove long-standing obstacles to the country’s progress represented by bureaucratic ineptitude and corruption.
Leading the crusade is the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA), an attached agency of the Office of the President of the Philippines, that is headed by a director general with Cabinet rank. ARTA marked its fifth anniversary earlier this week with the launching of the Accelerating Reforms for Improved Service Efficiency (ARISE) Awards to recognize the efforts of government agencies in improving the quality of delivering essential services.
Government agencies can participate in different categories of ARISE Awards, as follows: Compliance with the Electronic Business One Stop Shop (BOSS) for LGUs, or Digitalization of Services Award for NGAs; Adherence to the Philippine Good Regulatory Principles Rewards and Recognition Program; and Accomplishment in the Report Card Survey 2.0 Award.
Recall that in his 2020 State of the Nation Address (SONA), then President Rodrigo Duterte deplored the telecommunication companies’ inability to increase the speed of internet connectivity. The telcos explained that their efforts were blocked by long delays in the processing by local government units (LGUs) of 20-25 permits and the imposition of “miscellaneous fees.” The enhanced community quarantine imposed due to the Covid-19 pandemic fast-tracked the use of digital technology as face-to-face contact was replaced by simpler online processes. This expedited the setting up of BOSS in LGUs, as well as digitalization in national government agencies (NGAs).
Initially, it was the Civil Service Commission (CSC) that bore the brunt of implementing the Anti-Red Tape Act. Recall that the CSC launched a campaign bannered by the slogan, “Mamamayan Muna, Hindi Mamaya Na” (Serve citizens promptly; don’t procrastinate) in efforts to motivate government employees to level up in terms of responding to the needs of citizens and communities.
Pressure from the business sector pushed the Department of Trade and Industry, and subsequently, the newly created Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT) to the forefront of regulatory efforts. Local governments stepped up, too, realizing that more enterprises would be attracted to set up shop if there is ease in doing business.
According to the 2020 World Bank – Doing Business Report, the Philippines ranked 95th out of 190 economies with a score of 62.8, jumping 29 notches from no. 124 and a score of 57.68 in 2019. The World Bank (WB) rates a country’s EODB performance based on 10 indicators that represent the life cycle of a business: Starting a Business, Dealing with Construction Permits, Getting Electricity, Registering Property, Getting Credit, Protecting Minority Investors, Paying Taxes, Trading across Borders, Enforcing Contracts, and Resolving Insolvency.
Indeed, ARTA’s awards program to recognize outstanding LGUs and government agencies signal the Marcos administration’s determination to spur business growth while enabling citizens to lead more productive lives.