EASE OF DOING BUSINESS. Anti-Red Tape Authority officer-in-charge Ernesto Perez (3rd from left) and ARTA deputy director general Carlos Quita (rightmost) lead the relaunch of Central Business Portal, now Philippine Business Hub, in Quezon City on June 20, 2022. The online platform aims to further ease doing business in the country by reducing steps and periods of starting a business to one step and seven days. (PNA photo by Ben Briones)
MANILA – The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), the country’s largest business organization, is urging the new administration to continue policies and measures of the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA).
In a statement Thursday, PCCI president George Barcelon hoped the government would sustain the reforms of ARTA that were started during the Duterte administration.
Barcelon said these initiatives of simplifying the transactions with public offices and efforts of eliminating red tape ensure sustained business confidence and trust in the government.
He added the business community gives importance to eradicating red tape in the bureaucracy to gain confidence of local and foreign investors.
“The PCCI commends ARTA for having accomplished quite a number of milestones that really benefited the business community. We are happy that ARTA and PCCI have a strong partnership in implementing these policy reforms in government,” Barcelon said.
The PCCI chief cited ARTA’s programs that helped ease doing business and eliminate red tape.
These include the National Effort for the Harmonization of Efficiency Measures of Interrelated Agencies (NEHEMIA) program that aims to address overregulation in sectors of logistics, telecommunication, housing, food and pharmaceutical, and energy; the joint memorandum circulars for building telecommunication towers; integrating the Food and Drug Administration’s electronic license to operate and Center for Drug Regulation and Research into the Central Business Portal; establishing green lane for licenses and authorizations for pharmaceutical companies; and the Unified Rapid Pass that streamlines registration and fees in logistics sector.
PCCI said ARTA is “one of the most performing agencies of the Duterte administration” for implementing initiatives to improve doing business in the country and eliminate red tape.
Former President Rodrigo Duterte signed the Republic Act 11032, or the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act, in 2018. (PNA)
