Exec hails signing of EODB Act; new law supplements FOI programs

(PNA photo)

MANILA — An official of the government’s Freedom of Information (FOI) program on Wednesday lauded President Rodrigo Duterte’s signing of the Ease of Doing Business Act, saying the law complements FOI’s projects in promoting transparency, accountability and proper management of public affairs.

Presidential Communications Assistant Secretary for Policy and Special Concerns Kristian Ablan, director of the FOI program, said both the EODB and FOI strengthen the President’s directive to “spare our people from the intolerable waiting time and long lines in frontline government agencies.”

On May 28, Duterte signed into law the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018, which he called “long overdue” as it seeks to solve the perennial problem of bureaucracy.

“This law will introduce simplified requirements and streamline procedures that will finally spare our people from the intolerable waiting time and long lines in frontline government agencies,” Duterte said in his speech.

Duterte said the new law will address the failure of the Anti-Red Tape Act of 2007 to solve the perennial problem of bureaucratic red tape in government institutions.

“One of the most important features of this law is the standardization of the processing time for government transactions,” he said.

With the signing of the law, the government agencies are required to process simple transactions within three days and complete transactions in seven days and highly technical transactions in 20 days.

The law will also limit to a maximum of three the number of signatories for applications for licenses, clearances, permits, certifications and authorizations.

Electronic signatures will also be recognized and a zero-contact policy will be implemented to avoid improprieties.

The new law also complements the mandate of the Department of Information and Communications Technology to automate business-related transactions through web-based software and technological platforms.

The act also emphasizes the importance of information and communications technology in centralizing government processes through the establishment of a Central Business Portal, the Philippine Business Databank, and an Interconnectivity Infrastructure Development Program.

The signing ceremony was attended by different government officials including new Senate President Vicente Sotto III and House Speaker Pantaleon ‘Bebot’ Alvarez.