Lawmaker pushes for creation of ‘efficiency’ office

A lawmaker is pushing for the creation of a Philippine Efficiency Office that will help sift through laws and regulations that excessively burden businesses and the public with unnecessary rules.

Senator Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV said the measure, called the Philippine Efficiency Office bill, which would be filed in the 17th Congress, would primarily institutionalize the National Competitiveness Council’s Project Repeal—an initiative seeking to repeal and amend existing agency regulations and department orders that are outdated, unnecessary or redundant.

“The Philippine Efficiency Office can check (the laws being proposed) to make sure there aren’t any contradictions. The other thing this office can do is to also check among departments for contradictions because (they may) come up with regulations that are OK with one sector but can create more problems for other sectors,” Aquino said on the sidelines of the Project Repeal launch on Monday.

He said the country should be pushing for less regulations.

He believes the measure would also reduce the cost of compliance and further improve the overall business and investment climate.

“At this point wherein our economy has been growing steadily, we cannot afford a slow down. This growth should be sustained in the next six to 10 years and this office will help support that goal,” he added.

Meanwhile, Aquino also said he and other senators would be refiling proposed amendments to the Consumer Act, with the revisions centered on increasing the penalties slapped against erring traders and retailers.