MANILA – As part of its continuing inspections of local government units’ compliance with the Ease of Doing Business Law during this year’s business renewal period, the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) looked into the business one-stop-shop (BOSS) of Marikina City on Monday and of Makati City on Tuesday.
ARTA’s series of inspections are being done with representatives from the Department of the Interior and Local Government.
During the inspections, ARTA checks on the important requirements and features that are expected from the BOSS.
Director-General Jeremiah Belgica said it is not enough for LGUs to co-locate all offices involved in the business registration and renewal process.
“Pagdating ho sa kanilang BOSS, sila po ba ay nagtayo na ng business-one stop shop? Hindi lamang po co-located. Ibig sabihin hindi po sapat na nandun lang sa isang lugar ang lahat ng mga opisina, pero yung mga sistema po ba ay inayos na po? (When it comes to their BOSS, do they put up a business-one-stop shop? Not only that they are co-located, which means it is not enough that all the offices are in one area but did they put in proper order the systems?),” Belgica said.
“Ito po ba ay in-integrate na po nila para po papasok within the processing time na not more than three days according sa batas [R.A. 11032]. Pero according naman po sa Joint Memorandum Circular ng DILG at DTI ay hindi po dapat lumampas sa two days ang kanilang processing time. Kung ito po ay business renewal naman ay dapat hindi po lalampas sa isang araw (Is this integrated so it would be within the processing time of not more than three days according to the law? But according to the Joint Memorandum Circular of the DILG and DTI [Department of Trade and Industry], the processing should not exceed two days. If this is a business renewal, it should not exceed one day),” he added.
Aside from the processing time, ARTA also checks on the presence of an updated and complete Citizen’s Charter at the most conspicuous place; a single window and unified form for applications, and the integration of applications for Barangay Clearance and Fire Safety Inspection/Evaluation Clearance, and the automation of their business processing and licensing system, among others.
ARTA will be providing the LGUs with its formal assessment and recommendations on how they could further improve their existing processes in compliance with the Ease of Doing Business Law.
After its inspections of all Metro Manila LGUs, ARTA will also be tallying the individual performance of LGUs based on a set of criteria and will be ranking them in terms of their compliance with the Ease of Doing Business Law and ARTA’s other issuances. (PNA)
