THE Anti-Red Tape Authority (Arta) is set to take action against more government agencies found to be violating the provisions of Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) law this week after recently sounding the alarm on over 600 pending drug applications.
Arta Director General Jeremiah B. Belgica, in a recent briefing, said the anti-red tape watchdog will be issuing more show-cause orders as it further investigates government agencies.
“Actually, we will file cases against other government agencies next week,” Belgica said in an interview on Friday.
However, he did not disclose which agencies are being investigated. Belgica explained the agencies that will undergo investigation for alleged violation of EoDB law; officials will also be subject to lifestyle check.
“If there is red tape, it is not far-fetched to think that they are engaged in anomalies and corruption,” he added, partly in Filipino.
The Arta chief noted that lifestyle checking is under the mandate of the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission. Last month, Arta and PACC signed a pact to boost coordination and cooperation in addressing complaints and reports of violations relating to red tape and corruption.
Last week, Arta ordered the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Center for Drug Regulation and Research (CDRR) to immediately address over 600 drug applications that have remained pending despite complete submission of requirements.
This stemmed from 23 affidavits of several pharmaceutical companies alleging the delays in their applications, which were filed as far back as 2014 or so, Arta noted.
Belgica said a show-cause order was issued against FDA-CDRR Director IV Jesusa Cirunay, giving her seven working days from receipt of the order to do an inventory of all pending permits, license, clearance or application.
Automation is key
In eliminating corruption in the government, Belgica said automation of process is key.
“So, there are two main contributors [of] corruption. Number one is the opportunity of corruption, number two is the desire to commit corruption,” he said.
Streamlining and automating government transactions reduce opportunity for corruption, Belgica explained. With this, Arta has been pushing for the local government units (LGUs) to automate their business permit and licensing system (BPLS).
Arta, along with several agencies including the Department of Trade and Industry, signed a joint memorandum circular in April directing LGUs to launch their own electronic business one stop shop (eBoss) by June 17.
The eBoss should be able to facilitate online submission of business permit applications; digital payment options; and issuance of electronic versions of permits, licenses or clearances.
According to the BPLS compliance report as of April 14, only 39 percent or 593 LGUs out of the total 1,516 have set up an eBoss.