LGU's, gov't. offices have until June 30 to craft Citizen's Charter

CEBU, Philippines - The Department of Interior and Local Government has given local governments until June 30 to craft or “repair” their own Citizen’s Charter, the guide for residents on availing frontline services of government at the shortest possible time.

DILG Regional Director Pedro Noval Jr. said field officers of DILG are constantly monitoring the progress and compliance of LGU’s. Should they fail to meet the deadline, Noval said, “we will evaluate and determine the cause.”

Noval said the directive for a Citizen’s Charter for every LGU is in line with the government’s implementation of Republic Act 9485 or the Anti-Red Tape Act of 2007, which requires all government offices and LGU’s to formulate their own Citizen’s Charter by June 2009.

The Citizen’s Charter is a document that contains relevant information on the frontline services and goods provided by LGU’s and serves as the standard of the delivery of these services and goods to the public. It contains, among others, a step-by-step guide and standards of quality and timeliness to be expected from the agency rendering the service.

More importantly, the Charter will guide citizens on how to quickly avail of these frontline government services at the community level so they would not fall into the trap of fixers operating in almost every government agency in the country.

“There will be improved efficiency and effectiveness of LGU’s in delivering basic public goods and services through the elimination of red tape practices,” Noval said, adding, that the Charter would “surely keep the lazy, slow and inept on their toes.”

Noval explained that with the Charter, an ordinary citizen can hold the agency accountable for any breach in service or deviations from what are being enshrined in the Charter.

Toledo City is the first to implement RA 9485 here in Cebu since January of this year, while Bohol Province is the first province to implement the law in Region 7. — Johanna T. Natavio/JMO (THE FREEMAN)