Tagbilaran City, Ubay earn ARTA for

streamlined biz, licensing processes

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol July 19 (PIA)—Tagbilaran City and Ubay Bohol lead Bohol local government units in implementing ease of doing business measures as both earned the Anti-Red-Tape Authority’s (ARTA) much coveted commendation for being one of the exemplary LGUS streamlining and simplifying their business processes and licensing procedures in line with the ARTA and multi-agency joint memorandum circular on the ease of doing business and efficient government service delivery by providing transparency, innovation, and quality public service recently.

No less than ARTA Director General Ernesto V. Perez handed to City Mayor Jane Cajes-Yap the commendation for the city’s digitalization program, which earned the ARTA attention for its being in line with attracting investments and facilitating the ease of doing business, as a precondition for the ARTA Commendation.

Created under the Republic Act 11032 or the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018, the ARTA checks on LGU compliance to the legal mandate that all government offices and agencies including LGUs, GOCCs and other government instrumentalities in the Philippines or abroad, must provide fast transparent services covering business and nonbusiness related transactions to improve competitiveness.

The law provides from the reengineering of systems and procedures, including the posting of citizens charters, putting up of zero contact policy through online services, accountability of heads of officers and agencies, access of government services and the concerned office’s actions, limitation of signatories for faster transactions, streamlined procedures in the approval of business licenses and fire safety evaluation clearance and setting up of the ARTA.

ARTA is the government agency which is mandated to administer and implement the said law and its Implementing Rules and Regulations, the agency is also there to monitor and ensure compliance with the national policy on anti-red tape, transparency and ease of doing business in the country.

With this, government agencies and offices are subjected to report card surveys to obtain information on the delays or fast-tracked processes as well as a system of civil and administrative provisions.

For Tagbilaran City, the establishment of its electronic-Business One Stop Shop (E-BOSS) has expedited business transactions, according to city mayor Jane Yap.

Their reforms include lessening the steps in business applications from 14 steps in 2016 to only one at present and from 12 signatories, the city only needs one, while promising one day business renewals, 1-2 days for new applicants.

The mayor said the city has seen profound impacts in eliminating red-tape, has immense increased their revenues and has made the city more attractive destination for businesses, which would redound to economic growth.

In the case of Ubay, Mayor Constantino Reyes said the commendation for the establishment and institutionalization of their e-BOSS is a testament that nothing is impossible, despite a wide variety of political affiliations in the town.

“Despite different political affiliations, we have proven that we can walk hand in hand to bring the town its much needed revenues,” the mayor said.

For the town, the ARTA team noted that Ubay has implemented its e-BOSS, an online system of application, registration and renewal of business for its 44 barangays, something that ARTA DG Perez thinks is already hard, considering that there are LGUs with lesser barangays but could not still implement these ease of doing business innovation.

The feat for Ubay is a huge help in bringing the town closer to its dream of becoming a city, according to the mayor.

According to the Local Government Code, a city can be created if it has an annual income of P100 million, a territory of at least 100 square kilometers and a population of not less than 150,000.

Ubay has passed all but the annual income, which its e-BOSS could ably prop up after attracting investors.

For Ubay too, Mayor Reyes shares the pride for the accolade to the Municipal Treasurer Elizabeth Pabellan, Information technology programmer Mark Nacua and LandBank o the Philippines Ubay manager Ma. Gracia Galano.

On the other hand, Tagbilaran City shares its ARTA pride with its Business Processing and Licensing Officer, City Treasurer’s Office and City ICT office.

Tagbilaran City picked the ARTA’s 455th LGU to be granted the commendation and the first LGU in Bohol to receive such prestigious governance award.

On the other hand, Ubay town, which has since dreamed of becoming Bohol’s second city, is the 456th LGU and the first Bohol town top merit the accolade. (PIABohol)

STREAMLINED AND CONDUCIVE FOR BUSINESS. Ubay Mayor Constantino Reyes shows off the ARTA commendation for the town’s implementation of streamlined business processes which has so far increased local revenues inching into the LGC requirement of at least P100M annual income. With Mayor Reyes in Councilor Reyes, Board Member Jamie Villamor and ARTA Dir Gen. Perez. (PIABohol)

MAKING TAGBILARAN MORE ATTRACTIVE FOR INVESTMENTS. City Mayor Jane Yap said the digitalization they implemented in Tagbilaran has not only increased their revenues but also made the city as an attractive destination for investments and investors. Because of it, Phil Chamber of Commerce and Industry has named Tagbilaran as a Hall of Famer as Most Business Friendly City in the Philippines for three years. (PIABOhol)