26 May 2021 – The Anti-Red Tape Authority, led by Secretary Jeremiah Belgica, met with various key agencies on Wednesday to discuss uniformed policies for the Socialized Housing Sector.

This is in line with ARTA’s National Effort for the Harmonization of Efficient Measures of Inter-related Agencies (NEHEMIA) program.

Members of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD), National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), Office of the Cabinet Secretariat, Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), and Land Registration Authority (LRA) attended the meeting.

All concerned agencies expressed support to ARTA’s plan to craft a Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) for the Socialized Housing Sector to streamline its processes and create uniformed policies on it.

Some of the issues discussed include land acquisition, which will be the main focus of the JMC, particularly on the comprehensive land use plan (CLUP) as the main indicative document, and removal of redundant documentary requirements.

Issuing of permits and land registry, releasing of funds for housing sectors, construction works, and reaching out to sectors who are in need of safe and proper housing were also talked about during the meeting.

The JMC would also involve local government units and private stakeholders.

Belgica stressed the importance of multi-sectoral planning to address the needs of something as massive as the housing sector.

“What we wanted to impress very quickly to anyone is we’re not removing anyone’s jurisdiction,” he said during the meeting. “This is a concentrated effort na pagtulungan po natin with one goal in mind.”

The ARTA Director General said that the JMC on the Socialized Housing Sector will not only impact future housing projects, but also other projects done by the localities.

The said agencies are set for more meetings to finalize the JMC on the issue.

Belgica said they are targeting to sign the JMC by the end of June.

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STATEMENT OF ARTA SECRETARY JEREMIAH BELGICA ON THE SIGNING ANNIVERSARY OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 11032

Today, we are celebrating the third anniversary of the signing of Republic Act No. 11032 or the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018 as amended from Republic Act No. 9485 or the Anti-Red Tape Act of 2007.

This landmark law aims to streamline current processes in the government to deliver more efficient services that the Filipino people deserve. This is in line with the third point in President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s 10-point socioeconomic agenda, which is to increase competitiveness and the ease of doing business.

Since this law was signed, the Anti-Red Tape Authority has made significant accomplishments.

We have streamlined the Business One-Stop Shops of local government units across the country and directed them to set up Electronic Business One-Stop Shops. We have also created the National Business One-Stop Shop and the Central Business Portal.

A number of government employees who sought to harm the Filipino people by making them go through red tape instead of readily giving them the service that they deserve have been held accountable by the Authority.

More than this, we value the partnerships that we forged with other government agencies, local government units, and private stakeholders along the way.

Without the support of these other groups, we would not have been able to launch the National Effort for the Harmonization of Efficiency Measures of Inter-related Agencies (NEHEMIA) program, an inter-agency streamlining effort that is targetting various sectors such as connectivity and telecommunications, housing and construction, and food and pharmacology.

We would like to extend our deepest gratitude to President Duterte, the sponsors of R.A. No. 11032 from the Legislative Branch—Senator Miguel Zubiri, House Deputy Speaker Bernadette Herrera-Dy, and former Congressman Ferjenel Biron, among others—and Senator Bong Go.

In the coming months, ARTA shall push for the streamlining and automation of the 70 trade regulatory government agencies of the National Single Window through the TradeNet platform. The Authority shall continue to intensify the investigation and case filing against violators of the R.A. No. 11032 who would inflict delays against the people.

We will continue serving with integrity and empowering citizens and stakeholders through collaboration, technology, and good regulatory practices.

Indeed, the President’s train of reform for the people against red tape has been gaining momentum and is now blazing through. Anyone who chooses to go against it shall be run over.

As we mark our third year, we enjoin everyone to join us onboard the train of reform that is gaining speed by the day toward our vision of a citizen-centric Philippines with a vibrant business environment and a high-trust society.

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ARTA to gov’t agencies: Follow SEC’s lead, remove notarization requirement for business registration

29 May 2021 – The Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) called on government agencies to remove the notarization requirement for business registrations to speed up the processing of requirements.

This, after the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) implemented the reform.

The SEC did away with the mandatory requirement for notarizing the Articles of Incorporation for company registration.

In a memorandum dated 29 April 2020, the SEC said that those who wish to register new businesses can authenticate their Articles of Incorporation with a form provided by the Commission before submission instead of notarizing it.

SEC Memorandum Circular No. 16, Series of 2020 or the Guidelines on Authentication of Articles of Incorporation in Applications for Registration of New Domestic Corporations became effective on 30 April 2020.

“Bolstering ease of doing business in the Philippines, particularly with respect to starting  new corporate business, will be beneficial to the economy and may improve the business climate in the country,” the memorandum circular read.

Meanwhile, ARTA also noted the reform of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) who is now allowing new business registrants to opt for BIR-printed receipts and invoices at the time of registration.

According to Revenue Memorandum Circular No. 117-2019, “this will allow new business taxpayers to immediately start its business operations while waiting for the printing of delivery of its receipts/invoices by the BIR-accredited printers.”

Back then, those who wished to register their new businesses had to secure an Authority to Print principal receipts/invoices before they could print their own receipts and invoices.

The memorandum circular became effective on 6 November 2019.

ARTA Secretary Jeremiah Belgica lauded the two agencies and urged others to follow its lead.

“We are calling on all other agencies with business registrations in government to follow the SEC’s example to no longer require notarization in application,” he said in a statement on Saturday.

Belgica said these reforms are seen to improve the Philippines’ score in the World Bank’s upcoming Ease of Doing Business (EODB) 2021 survey.

Last year, the country scored 62.8, placing 95th out of 190 countries, an improvement from its 57.68 score and 124th rank in 2019.

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