Anti-Red Tape Authority revises IRR for EODB Act

MANILA, Philippines — The Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) has submitted the revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) for the Ease of Doing Business (EODB) Act, as well as the request to be given authority by the Office of the Executive Secretary (OES) for the issuance of the rules. 

“ARTA submitted to OES the revised IRR on April 22, with request for authorization to promulgate,” ARTA officer-in-charge (OIC) Ernesto Perez said in a text message. 

While the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) submitted the IRR to the Office of the President in October last year, the rules had to go through revisions, as well as consultations with stakeholders again.

Perez is seeking authority to be allowed to issue the IRR with the DTI secretary and the Civil Service Commission chairman, as such could only be officially released when a director general for the ARTA is appointed. 

Even as Perez serves as ARTA’s OIC, he said earlier it is the director general who has the authority to sign the IRR. 

“While I was designated officer-in-charge, I do not have that authority to sign unless I am specifically given that authority or designation to promulgate and sign implementing rules,” he said. 

Republic Act (RA) 11032 or the EODB Act, which aims to cut bureaucratic red tape in government by providing a required period for transactions to be completed, was signed by President Duterte in May last year.

Under the law, government transactions considered to be simple should be completed within three days, while those classified as complex need to be finished within seven days, and highly technical transactions within 20 days.

Even as the IRR has yet to be issued, violations of RA 11032 could already be reported to the agency. 

As of April 8, ARTA has received 27 complaints involving violations of RA 11032. 

Of the 27 complaints received, 85 percent are due to alleged failure of processing the license within the prescribed time, while the rest are either due to alleged imposition of additional cost or additional requirements other than what is listed on the citizen’s charter.

Business groups including the Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. (Philexport) and the British Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines have earlier said implementation of the EODB would be beneficial.  

Philexport president Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr. said implementation of the law is expected to help promote exports’ growth as dealing with government agencies becomes easier.