The Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) has ordered all government agencies to submit to its office a revised citizen’s charter and has set the deadline for it on December 6.
According to ARTA Director-General Jeremiah Belgica, the processes in the new citizen’s charter of each government agency must be streamlined, in accordance with President Rodrigo Duterte’s directive for an orderly and fast-tracked transaction in government service.
“Minsan, si Mr. head of the agency, nagising lang isang araw, naisip na, ‘Dagdagan ko kaya ang requirements, dagdagan ko kaya ang fees?’ Wala man lang public consultation. Bawal po ‘yan [Sometimes, this head of agency would wake up one day and think, ‘I should add more requirements, or fees.” Without any public consultation. That is prohibited],” said ARTA Director General, Atty. Jeremiah Belgica.
According to Republic Act 11032 or the Ease of Doing Business Act, the citizen’s charter is the standard or official list of services and processes that a certain government agency provides to the public.
These include a step-by-step process of every transaction and the fees corresponding to it.
Belgica added that the ARTA is also set to conduct a probe on all transaction fees that government agencies implement.
The official said they had been receiving information that several government agencies are imposing exorbitant fees for the documents they release.
Belgica appeals to the public to report to the ARTA government employees who will disregard their citizen’s charter.
RA 11032 provides that simple transactions in government offices must not take longer than three days; while processing of complex transactions must only take up to seven working days; and highly technical ones must not exceed 20 days processing period.
“Comply, comply, comply, comply. Huwag niyong dadagdagan. Pag dinagdagan niyo yan, red tape ‘yan. Sisiguraduhin po namin na kayo po ay hindi na ho kayo makakabalik sa inyong trabaho [No more extensions. If you extend, that’s red tape already. We will make sure that you will never be able to return to work],” warned Belgica. (from the report of Harlene Delgado) /mbmf
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