Anti-Red Tape Authority Officer in Charge Ernesto Perez. INQUIRER.net photo / NESTOR CORRALES
MANILA, Philippines — The Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) on Wednesday said it registered a 52.63 percent complaint resolution rate despite the absence of a chief to head the agency.
ARTA was established after President Rodrigo Duterte signed Republic Act 11032, otherwise known as the “Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018” on May 28, 2018.
Ernesto Perez, who serves as the officer in charge of the agency pending the appointment of a director general, said their office have received 166 complaints since June 2018.
The passing of the IRR of RA 11032 has been delayed because Duterte has not appointed a director general to head ARTA.
Perez said ARTA has submitted a final draft IRR to the Office of the President but he said that according to the law, “only the regularly appointed director general, together with the DTI Secretary and the Civil Service Chairperson can promulgate the law.”
“Even without the implementing rules and regulations, we are already implementing the law because the law says it is effective June 17, 2018,” he said in a briefing in Malacañang.
“So, we’re not relying on the implementing rules and regulations, we are continuing with our two-pronged approach to the implementation of the law,” he added.
Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez has earlier said that Duterte wanted a retired general to head the ARTA.
“Wala pa. Since the beginning, wala pang na-appoint na ARTA chief,” Perez said.
Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea has yet to respond for comment when asked why the President has not yet appointed an ARTA chief.
Even without the IRR, Perez told reporters in Malacañang that RA 11032 has been effective.
“We are determined and we are implementing the law, so therefore kung meron kaming natanggap na reklamo, at merong ebidensya, ipe-persecute namin ito,” he said.
“It’s not being affected by the lack of IRR. I mean, we have the resources, we have the lawyers in the office, we have office, we have telephone, we have emails, we have websites that answer queries and complaints,” he added.
Perez said that as of July 2018, the top agencies being complained to ARTA
were Bureau of Internal Revenue, Local Government Units, the Food and Drug Administration, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Bureau of Customs, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, Securities and Exchange Commission and the Social Security System. (Editor: Jonathan P. Vicente)
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