DTI chief: Report unfair practices in government offices

CEBU, Philippines — Report corruption and unfair services in the government.

This was the message of Department of Trade and Industry secretary Ramon Lopez when he met with the Cebu business community at the Entrepreneurs Summit last week.

He urged the busines sector to help in the effective implementation of the Ease of Doing Business (EODB) Law, which was signed last year.

“The law is in effect already, which entitles everyone to file a complaint. Your support, through filing proper complaints, is very important in enforcing the law and to put those government employees and officials accountable and liable for wrong practices and making doing business in the country difficult,” Lopez told Cebuano businessmen.

He pointed out the two-strike policy for violations, as well as the administrative and criminal liabilities for government employees and officials under the new law.

Under EODB or Republic Active 11032, government services shall have more improved systems and procedures that will reduce processing time, cut bureaucratic red tape and eliminate corrupt practices.

Government personnel shall also be capacitated to improve the quality of regulations. Further, the law provides the institutionalization of regulatory impact assessment to improve the quality of regulations.

The trade chief also stressed that the city or municipal business process and licensing office shall not require the same documents already provided by an applicant or requesting party to local government departments.

He also cited the Doing Business Design Sprint, one of the reforms the government is working on, which will allow business registration to be completed with the use of smartphones and through an online portal that will only require one form and one number for all transactions. A prototype had been launched in 2018.

“When everything can be transacted through a smartphone 24/7, that’s the ease of doing business,” he said.

“There are a number of government initiatives we’re currently implementing. If properly executed, with your support, the whole business process—from starting your business to trading across borders – should become faster, easier and less costly,” Lopez said. (FREEMAN)