Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) director general Jeremiah Belgica said his ‘exit plan’ — as the Duterte administration will finish its term next year — is to accelerate reforms to improve government services.
“The exit plan is to create more momentum for us,” Belgica said during the Ease of Doing Business Summit in Quezon City Thursday.
He added that despite being a young agency, the ARTA has issued policies and rolled out reforms that will make transacting with the government easier.
One of the key reforms of the agency is fast-tracking the release of permits and licenses for telecommunications towers which now helped the Philippines improve its internet speed.
Belgica said the government was able to release more than 33,000 permits and licenses in a year for telco towers from around 6,000 annually before.
ARTA, along with other government agencies, also signed a Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) on Poles, Underground Fiber Ducts, and Cable Laying to expedite the rollout of telco infrastructure and service projects, leading to faster internet connectivity.
The ARTA chief added that these policies have led to the increase in the country’s ranking in Ookla’s speedtest, wherein the Philippines’ internet speed ranking went up to 67th place in October this year from 111th in January.
Belgica also highlighted streamlining and automating government services that will enable citizens to transact with the government in the comfort of their homes.
Under the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Delivery of Government Service Act of 2018 or the EODB law, local government units (LGUs) are mandated to establish an electronic Business-One-Stop-Shop (e-BOSS).
Through the e-BOSS, LGUs will be able to automate permitting and licensing systems by using the Integrated Business Permits and Licensing System (IBPLS) software developed by the Department of Information and Communications Technology.
Belgica said as of Sept. 30, some 917 LGUs are utilizing the system.
ARTA targets to automate all 1,600 LGUs before the end of the Duterte administration.
Source: Philippines News Agency
