Millennium Challenge Corporation - Policy Improvement Process

The government recognizes that red tape discourages business, and cumbersome transaction procedures generally give rise to corruption. The Anti-Red Tape Act (ARTA) of 2007 (R.A. 9485) was enacted to reduce red tape and expedite transactions in government. This legislation directs all government entities with frontline services to develop their Citizen’s Charter by September 2009.

The Citizen’s Charter is an official document, a service charter or pledge that describes the step-by-step procedure for availing of a particular service; and the guaranteed performance level that the public may expect for that service. Information such as procedures to avail of the service, responsible person/office, processing time, documentary requirements, applicable fees or charges, and procedures for filing complaints are reflected in the Citizen’s Charter. Concerned external stakeholders are consulted in the crafting of the Citizen’s Charter. The Citizen’s Charter is published and is posted in agency’s websites and in its billboards in conspicuous places within the agency.

To ensure fast, efficient, reliable and convenient services to the public, the law and its IRR directs agencies to undertake reengineering of frontline services. Specifically, all agencies with frontline services are required to act on applications and requests within five days for simple transactions, and ten days for complex ones. Agencies are also mandated to limit their signatures to a maximum of five.

Among the 5,260 government entities nationwide being monitored by the CSC, 3,559 agencies and local government units (LGUs) are fully compliant with the ARTA’s requirements on the institutionalization of a Citizen’s Charter. The remaining 1,701 government entities are in the various stages of ARTA compliance.

A parallel effort towards improvement of public sector productivity is the directive to install Quality Management System (QMS) in all government agencies as required by Executive Order No. 605. As of 2009, there are 60 ISO-certified government entities while 31 are moving towards ISO certification.