Business groups will work closely with the government agencies directed by President Duterte to improve their services in their efforts to facilitate of Ease of Doing Business (EODB).

Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. President Sergio R. Ortiz-Luis Jr. said traders are more than willing to present to the government their proposals on how to simplify processes to make doing business cheaper and more efficient.

Cutting red tape will speed up the flow of trade, he argued, which should boost the export sector’s chances at recovery.

“The ease of transacting with the government,” he said, was on the export sector’s list of Sona wishes. “We are satisfied he addressed that, and even ordered some agencies to shape up. This will provide us the necessary boost to complete our recovery this year,” Ortiz-Luis said over the phone.

Duterte in his Sona on Monday said he signed the EODB law to “improve service delivery and fight corruption.” He then reprimanded the Land Transportation Office (LTO), Social Security System (SSS), Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), Land Registration Authority (LRA), as well as the Home Development Mutual Fund (Pag-IBIG), for their alleged poor performance.

“Based on complaints received by the Contact Center [ng] Bayan that is in my office, the LTO, SSS, BIR, LRA and Pag-IBIG are the top 5 agencies that need to drastically improve their service,” the President said.

“I reiterate my directive to the government and instrumentalities, including the LGUs and the government corporations: simplify,” he added in a frustrated tone. “Simplify just like the others. You can do it electronically. You do not have to go to the office.”

Customs, too—Barcelon

George T. Barcelon, chairman of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the Bureau of Customs (BOC) should also be on the list.

In the 2019 National Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Trade Barriers, the United States Office of the Trade Representative said customs barriers and port facilitation in the Philippines are huge concerns for American exporters. The report called out the BOC for alleged corruption and red tape, as well as inconsistencies in its reference prices used for valuation.

“Reports of corruption and irregularities in Customs processing persist, including undue and costly delays—irregularities in the
valuation, 100 percent inspection and testing of some products, and Customs officials seeking the payment of unrecorded facilitation fees,” the report read.

On the other hand, the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines  vouched its support for government efforts to eliminate red tape and corruption in the bureaucracy. ECCP Executive Director Florian Gottein said the group will be in close coordination with agencies, particularly the Anti-Red Tape Authority (Arta), in coming up with EODB reforms.

“[The] ECCP looks forward to further working closely with concerned government agencies, including those mentioned by the President, as well as [with the] Arta in order to facilitate ease of doing business,” Gottein said in a text message.

Red tape was one of the many issues the President touched on in his 93-minute fourth Sona. Utilizing his usual theatrics, he even, at one point, threatened to execute government officials who will not simplify the processes of their
respective agencies.

Duterte in May of last year approved the EODB law that seeks to cut red tape by standardizing processing time for transactions with the government.

However, the law started to become fully operational only last week. The Arta chief, who has the sole authority to sign and issue the implementing rules and regulations, was only appointed in early July.

Under the EODB law, simple transactions should be completed within three days; complex transactions within seven days; and highly technical transactions within 20 days.

Source: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2019/07/24/business-to-work-with-red-tape-tagged-offices/