FDA, SSS top ARTA red tape complaints

CEBU, Philippines — The Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) has named the 10 poorest-performing government agencies and government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs) under its red tape scorecard, prompting senators to urge the agency to regularly publish the list to “shame” them into improving their services.

In a report submitted to the Senate, ARTA identified the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as the poorest-performing government agency in terms of facilitating transactions, registering 465 red tape complaints from January to August.

The FDA was followed by the Land Transportation Office (287 complaints), Bureau of Internal Revenue (239), Philippine Statistics Authority (171), and the Land Registration Authority (113).

Other agencies on the list were the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (94), Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (91), Department of Foreign Affairs (64), Professional Regulation Commission (46), and the Bureau of Customs (44).

Among GOCCs, the Social Security System (SSS) topped the list with 244 complaints, followed by the Home Development Mutual Fund or Pag-IBIG Fund (122); Securities and Exchange Commission (58); Philippine Health Insurance Corp. or PhilHealth (30); Government Service Insurance System (25); Land Bank of the Philippines (20); Philippine Postal Corporation (20); Philippine Ports Authority (6); Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (5); Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation (5); National Housing Authority (4); Social Housing Finance Corporation (3); and the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (3).

“All of these have direct constituency contact, so we need to understand why our constituents still feel red tape when they apply for PhilHealth benefits, claim pensions, or apply for housing,” Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian said during Monday’s plenary debates on the 2026 budget.

Gatchalian, chair of the Senate finance committee and sponsor of ARTA’s budget, said the agency should publish its list of poorest-performing institutions, emphasizing that awards for top-performing agencies are not enough to strengthen compliance with anti–red tape laws.

Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said that if public officials can be shamed for flaunting luxury, they can also be shamed for inefficiency.

He said ARTA should submit updated lists of the poorest-performing agencies and local government units when they present their budget proposals next year.

“Maybe next year, for the budget request, we can have a new listing or plan of action highlighting LGUs and national government agencies that rank very poorly in ease of doing business,” Zubiri said.

Zubiri, author and sponsor of Republic Act 11032 or the Ease of Doing Business Act of 2018, noted increasing complaints over slow processing of permits and licenses at the local government level.

“What I heard was that red tape is becoming worse again, or that the release of permits and licenses is taking longer at the local level because there is no longer fear of violating the law,” he said.

Gatchalian said ARTA has reported filing 313 cases against LGUs before the Office of the Ombudsman for alleged red tape violations. — Philippine Star News Service (FREEMAN)