Government agencies will issue a joint memorandum circular (JMC) that will expedite and prioritize the issuance of permits, licenses, clearances, and authorizations required for the 194 high-impact infrastructure flagship projects of the Marcos administration, according to Ernesto Perez, director-general of the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA).
In his state of the ARTA address celebrating the fifth anniversary of the agency on May 29 at the Manila Hotel, Perez also said the agency will ensure the timely execution of energy projects, make permanent a JMC fast tracking the construction of telecommunication infrastructure and to fully implement the Green Lane for Strategic Investments.
“ARTA will embark on a bold path of innovation, digitalization, and strategic partnerships that will redefine the landscape of government service delivery,” Perez said in his speech.
According to Perez, ARTA is closely collaborating with the Office of the President and other government agencies towards the issuance of an executive order (EO) that will make permanent provisions of the JMCs that reduced the complexity and costs associated with the construction of shared passive telecommunications tower infrastructure as well as fiber poles, ducts, cables, and facilities.
He said with the JMCs, the number of permits required for the contstruction of these infrastructure projects has been reduced from 13 to just 8, documentary requirements have decreased from 86 to 35, and the average processing time has been slashed from 241 working days to a mere 16 working days.
Perez also said ARTA aims to help address the lack of electricity, internet coverage, roads, utilities, and other essential infrastructure, by ensuring that the 194 high-impact infrastructure flagship projects initiated by the administration proceed smoothly and without unnecessary bureaucratic delays.
ARTA along with the National Economic and Development Authority and the Department of Information and Communication will issue a JMC that will help eliminate unnecessary red tape and accelerate the progress of these infrastructure initiatives.
Perez said ARTA is closely collaborating with the Department of Energy and other members of the Energy Virtual One Stop Shop (EVOSS) Steering Committee in enhancing the system and in developing a model ordinance that will be adopted by local government units in simplifying requirements and optimizing the benefits of hosting energy projects.
“Through these concerted efforts, we aspire to accelerate the electrification of all regions across our nation,” Perez said.
ARTA also vowed to fully implement EO 18 constituting Green Lanes for Strategic Investments by continuing to simplify and streamline the investment and business startup processes in our country,
By July 2023, ARTA will fully implement the National Policy on Regulatory Management System, which signifies the comprehensive implementation of Regulatory Impact Assessment across all sectors of the bureaucracy aimed at ensuring that permits and licenses are issued in the fastest and most efficient manner possible.
In collaboration with the DICT, ARTA is committed to implementing the Single Operating System for Government, which aims to establish a technologically-enabled and interconnected government.
ARTA said it will facilitate the mapping of processes within various agencies to ensure that only necessary and value-added tasks are automated. Irma Isip
