Pasig City partners with ARTA for first-ever LGU anti-red tape unit
by John Aldrin CasinasThe Pasig City government was the first local government unit (LGU) to forge a partnership with the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) for the creation of a specialized unit against bureaucratic red tape.
Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto and ARTA Director General Jeremiah Belgica signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on Wednesday for the creation of the city’s Anti-Red Tape Unit (ARTU).
It was “the first MOU between ARTA and a local government unit,” according to a statement Thursday.
“With the signing of this memorandum of understanding, we’re confident that Pasig will become much better in removing red tape in the coming years… [And through] this partnership, we will be able to help each other make Pasig business-friendly and make our systems and processes more efficient sa tulong po ng bawat isang nasa kwartong ito (with the help of everyone in this room),” Sotto said, according to the statement.
Under the MOU, the unit will notify ARTA about the formulation, modification, and repeal of regulations, as well as verify the accuracy of the Citizens’ Charter.
The Citizens’ Charter details the government agency’s services, procedures, and requirements needed for the public’s requests and applications.
The unit will also check if the city has observed the zero contact policy, prescribed processing time, and ensure that client feedback mechanisms and client satisfaction surveys are working.
Furthermore, ARTA will also help Pasig in the assessment and improvement of its Business One-Stop Shop (BOSS) and the activation of the Local Board of Assessment Appeals, which hears and decides appeals on real property assessment.
According to the statement, also detailed in the MOU was the assistance to strengthen the implementation of the Ease of Doing Business Law in Pasig, to come from the University of the Philippines Public Administration Research and Extension Services Foundation, Inc., Regulatory Reform Support Program for National Development (RESPOND) Project, and United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Philippines