Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri hailed the new memorandum of agreement between the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) and the Office of the Ombudsman, considering it a decisive enforcement tool to give the Ease of Doing Business law more bite to combat government red tape.

“This partnership between the ARTA and the Ombudsman will finally speed up the disposal of cases against government actors who violate the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Act,” Zubiri, author and sponsor of the EODB law, declared.

Zubiri added that aligning investigations will shorten the path from complaint to sanction and send a clear signal that government bottlenecks that choke investment and services will face real consequences.

“Hangga’t walang nakukulong sa paglabag sa EODB Act, patuloy lang ang red tape at korapsyon sa gobyerno. So we welcome this move to integrate ARTA’s findings into the Ombudsman’s investigative processes, para mapabilis na ang pag-resolba sa mga kaso, at makulong na ang mga dapat makulong (“As long as no one is jailed for violating the EODB Act, red tape and corruption in government will continue. So we welcome this move to integrate ARTA’s findings into the Ombudsman’s investigative processes, to speed up the resolution of cases and ensure that those who should be jailed are finally jailed),” he noted.

The agreement, signed this week during an Ease of Doing Business gathering, commits the Ombudsman to give due weight to ARTA’s case files and integrate them into its investigation pipeline, instead of restarting from scratch with a separate preliminary probe.

Zubiri stated that this change should translate into faster accountability at permit desks and frontline offices, where long queues often become breeding grounds for petty corruption and lost productivity.

“Enforcement is the missing link. Too many citizens still face circular requirements and unnecessary sign-offs, and agencies often escape real consequence for breaching service timelines. With ARTA’s case files now feeding directly into Ombudsman proceedings, mas mabilis na ang mga desisyon. This will deter bad behavior and reward compliant offices,” the Bukidnon senator expressed.

Zubiri added that clear, time-bound enforcement lifts both public trust and business confidence, citing the EODB law’s core guarantees: fixed processing times, a zero-contact policy and streamlined steps.

He explained that the MOA is also about changing incentives inside government, not just catching violators.

“I congratulate Ombudsman Boying Remulla and ARTA Director General Ernesto Perez for setting up a more proactive working relationship between their offices,” said Zubiri.

“When government managers see that ARTA audits and Ombudsman action move in sync, they are more likely to redesign workflows, remove redundant signatures and empower frontline staff to finish transactions on time,” he added.

“This move will not just cut red tape, it will also reduce opportunities for corruption, which will help restore public trust in the government and will help boost investor confidence in our country."