Iloilo city: Twenty-five national government agencies and local government units gathered for the 2026 Grand Ease of Doing Business (GEODB) Fair that kicked off on the second floor of the Iloilo Terminal Market in this highly urbanized city on Monday.
According to Philippines News Agency, Secretary Ernesto Perez, Director General of the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA), stated that the activity brings together national government agencies, local government units, and the private sector under one venue. 'It provides a space for direct engagement, where people can raise concerns and receive assistance. This engagement connects government offices with communities and allows agencies to respond in a direct and practical way,' he said in a video message.
This year's celebration is centered around the theme 'Achieving Results through Transparency and Accountability: Towards a More Productive Bagong Pilipinas.' The GEODB aligns with the directives of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., who declared May as Ease of Doing Business Month. 'Transparency allows people to see how government operates. It provides access to information and makes requirements, steps, and decisions visible. Accountability calls on offices and personnel to answer for their duties and to deliver what is expected of them. When these are present, results follow,' Perez said.
Now in its second year, the number of participants has increased to 25 from last year's 22. The fair is expected to serve 2,000 Ilonggos, compared to over 800 clients last year. Four offices of the Iloilo City government are participating, including the City Treasurer, which will issue community tax certificates on site; the Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs and the Persons with Disability for identification cards; the City Civil Registrar, which will provide mobile registration for birth, death, and marriage certificates; and the Business Permit and Licensing Division.
In addition to the city and provincial governments of Iloilo, other participating agencies include the Western Visayas regional offices of the Department of Foreign Affairs; Government Service Insurance System; Home Development Mutual Fund; Land Transportation Office; Philippine Statistics Authority; Bureau of Internal Revenue; Department of Information and Communications Technology; Department of the Interior and Local Government; and the Department of Trade and Industry.
Also participating are the Social Security System Iloilo Central Branch; Professional Regulation Commission; Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation; Philippine Health Insurance; Philippine Information Agency; Civil Service Commission; Bureau of Fire and Protection; Department of Health; Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office VI - Western Visayas; Philippine Postal Corporation Western Visayas; Landbank of the Philippines Iloilo Branch; Technical Education and Skills Development Authority; Department of Agrarian Reform; and the Department of Migrant Workers.
On Tuesday, Perez will lead the signing of an agreement with the Iloilo Provincial Government for the establishment of the Provincial One-Stop Shop and the West Visayas State University on the integration of special topics on EODB into the post-graduate programs of the university.
