THE Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) said it has started compiling a survey that will result in a “report card” on the bureaucratic processes of 800 agencies, Director General Ernesto Perez said.
Mr. Perez said the 800 agencies represent a vastly expanded coverage from the first report, which surveyed 50 agencies.
Mr. Perez said in an interview with ANC that the pilot survey of 50 agencies turned up only a few were able to achieve with a “very satisfactory” rating of 90% to 94.9%.
Mr. Perez said that these agencies are the Government Service Insurance System, Department of Trade and Industry, Philippine Children’s Medical Center and the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Mr. Perez said that the coverage of the report card could be further extended to all government agencies with more support from Congress.
“By increasing our budget, we will be able to cover not only 800 agencies, but 10,000 government,” he said.
The Department of Budget and Management’s National Expenditure Program indicates that ARTA has been allocated P290.01 million in 2024, 13.7% lower than this year’s funding level.
“We asked for a 2024 budget of about P780 million, but what was granted to us was barely 35% of that,” said Mr. Perez.
He said that the report card represents a response to a Presidential directive to streamline bureaucratic processes.
“The agencies’ performance will be duly rated not only by the applicants or persons who have direct contacts with these agencies, but we have also hired third-party independent surveyors who are experts in their fields. So, the findings really will be backed up by evidence,” he said.
ARTA plans to launch an electronic complaint system as another check on government agencies’ service quality. The system had been the subject of delays flagged by the Commission on Audit.
“The electronic complaint system (was launched by) the previous admin of ARTA (which was not implemented because of budgetary constraints,” he said.
“But I am confident that with the operationalization of the electronic complaint system, we will develop with the budgetary support from the Congress, that issue will no longer be raised,” he added. — Justine Irish D. Tabile
