The Department of Finance (DOF) has created an Anti-Red Tape Team chaired by Undersecretary Gil Beltran, in line with Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s first directive for all government offices to provide fast and hassle-free frontline services to the public.
In Department Order (DO) No. 38-2016 signed on July 18 and which took effect immediately, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III directed the Anti-Red Tape Team to formulate measures designed to speed up work processes not only at the department but also at attached agencies such as the Bureau of Customs (BOC) and Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs).
“The Department is committed to streamline the delivery of government services and intends to pursue this by designating employees and officials specifically for this purpose,” the order stated.
DO 38-2016 supports Republic Act No. 9485 (or the Anti-Red Tape Act of 2007), which mandates all public offices to implement measures promoting transparency, simplify procedures, and expedite transactions in government. R.A. No. 9485 also calls for effective practices aimed at preventing graft and corruption in government offices.
In his first Cabinet meeting at Malacañang last June 30, Duterte ordered all department secretaries to cut red tape in their offices.
“The main objective of the Department Order is to find ways to enable the public to transact with the Department at a faster pace at least cost,” Beltran said. “The public deserves nothing less,” he added.
Beltran’s Anti-Red Tape Team will be composed of all members of the DOF’s Taskforce/Committee on Citizen’s Charter, plus one representative each from the Citizen’s Charter committees of DOF-attached bureaus and agencies. Other team members may also be designated by the finance secretary.
Based on the order, Beltran’s team will review and evaluate the DOF’s Citizen’s Charter as well as the rules and regulations regarding processes in the department, bureaus, attached agencies, and GOCCs, particularly those that provide frontline services.
“The team should strictly comply with the provisions of R.A. No. 9485, improve efficiency in the conduct and delivery of services, and simplify procedures while ensuring proper controls are in place,” DO 38-2016 added.
The Anti-Red Tape Team should ensure transparency in government transactions is maintained, while preventing corruption and safeguarding integrity in the delivery of services, the order said.
The team will recommend measures to rationalize procedures and re-engineer transaction systems in the DOF and explore modern communications technologies.
To automate tasks and foster transparency in all transactions within the department, the team is mandated to “explore the use of modern communication technologies, including social media, to expedite transactions, improve efficiency in the delivery of services and receive customer feedback.”
The department order further stated, “The implementation of the Public Assistance Desk, No Fixer Policy and No Lunch Break Policy and such other policies that may affect the delivery of services shall also be reviewed to ensure that these are properly regulated.”
Starting August 1, Dominguez expects the Anti-Red Tape Team to submit quarterly reports, provide its program of action, and propose next steps and applicable deadlines.
The team will review the report card survey and coordinate with the Civil Service Commission to improve DOF’s ratings, and provide final recommendations with attached drafts of proposed issuances on or before December 31, 2016.
Dominguez called on other DOF units, bureaus, attached agencies and state-run corporations to provide assistance and resources as needed by Beltran’s group.
