MANILA – Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) Director General Jeremiah Belgica warned government officials not to put their names and faces on public documents as election season draws near.
"Refrain from putting your names and faces on government documents,” Belgica said in a news release on Monday.
Belgica said he has received numerous complaints that some public servants have their names or faces imprinted on public documents like permits and licenses.
He said politicians have long since taken advantage of this system wherein the head of agency or local government unit usually places the politicians’ name and picture as indirect advertising or a way to make it appear that the people owe a favor to them.
"These pictures of politicians on permits and licenses affect the cost of printing that the applicants are shouldering,” he said.
Belgica said putting names and faces of politicians on government documents is already being prohibited by the Anti-Epal provision or General Provision No. 82 of the adopted 2021 National Budget.
Under the Anti-Epal provision, government officials, whether elected or appointed, are banned from self-promotion through placement of names, pictures, or otherwise on programs, projects, and any other initiatives that are funded by the government through the General Appropriations Act.
“With the election season nearing, mahigpit po nating pinaaalahanan ang ating kapwa kawani ng gobyerno, na tigilan na ang paglalagay ng mukha at pangalan nila sa mga government-funded projects including documents and issuances. Tayo po ay pinapasweldo ng taumbayan, hindi po nila utang na loob sa atin ang de kalidad na serbisyo publiko (We strictly remind our fellow government employees to stop imprinting their faces and names on the government-funded projects, including documents and issuances. We receive salaries through taxpayers’ money, we need to give them good quality services). Don’t self-promote,” Belgica said.
ARTA is mandated to monitor the compliance of agencies to Republic Act 11032 or the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018, which includes checking the agencies’ Citizen’s Charters and other government collaterals such as permits, licenses, and other issuances.
With this, ARTA continually conducts surprise inspections of government agencies to ensure that provided services are in line with the law.
Belgica is encouraging the public to take pictures and videos of any poor services from any government agency that is in violation of the law and the respective agency’s citizen’s charter. People may use #iARTAnaYan or send an email to [email protected] to report to ARTA. (PR)
