ARTA crafts policy for better regulation

MANILA, Philippines — The Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) is crafting a National Policy on Regulatory Management System (NPRMS) to improve the regulatory environment in the country.

In a statement, the ARTA said the NPRMS would provide a common framework on good regulatory practice for? regulators at all stages of the regulatory life cycle, from the inception, implementation, and eventual repeal?of regulations.

A regulatory management system (RMS) is a set of policies, institutions, processes, and tools employed by the government as a whole to pursue and maintain good quality regulation, the ARTA explained, citing a study by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

The ARTA said the NPRMS would also lay down the implementing guidelines and procedures for the implementation of the Regulatory Impact Assessment?(RIA) requirement pursuant to Sections five and 17 of Republic Act 11032 or the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018.

“This is in line with ARTA’s goal to ensure that all proposed and existing regulations are rational, fit-for-purpose, and do not add undue regulatory burden and cost to stakeholders,” the agency said.

It emphasized that an improved, competitive, and integrated regulatory environment would eventually lead to more inclusive, economic growth for all Filipinos.

“We are hoping that with the NPRMS, along with ARTA’s various efforts to improve the country’s RMS, the Philippines will eventually graduate from the ‘starter’ to the ‘enabled’ stage in terms of RMS,” ARTA officer-in-charge  Ernesto Perez said.

The agency said this would assure investors of a more attractive business enabling environment that will prevent overlapping and restrictive regulation.

As part of its efforts to push for good regulatory management, the ARTA recently partnered with the University of the Philippines-National College of Public Administration and Governance (UP-NCPAG) to introduce a master’s degree program aimed at embedding good regulatory management in the government workforce.

Under the partnership, a master’s degree program in public administration has a special focus on RMS and RIA, as well as a diploma course in public management were launched.

“The two programs are seen to further institutionalize RMS and RIA through formal education and to embed the concepts of good regulatory management among the current and future government workforce,” the ARTA said.

The agency explained that RMS serves as the overall framework in reducing regulatory burdens and improving regulatory quality.

It said that RIA is central to an effective RMS because it is a systematic approach that critically measures the likely costs and benefits of proposed and existing regulations, through a rigorous, well-defined, and evidence-based analysis.

“This will assist the agencies in reviewing, simplifying, modifying, and modernizing existing and proposed regulations to achieve good regulatory governance and promote new culture among regulators and regulated entities,” the ARTA said.