Inefficiencies at BIR, BOC get DOF’s attention

Red tape at the two biggest revenue agencies is expected to be reduced significantly by a new unit created at the Department of Finance (DOF) mandated to speed up processes related to paying taxes and customs duties.

Department Order No. 38-2016 issued by Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III on July 18 appointed Finance Undersecretary Gil S. Beltran as chair of the DOF’s anti-red tape team, in line with Republic Act No. 9485 or the Anti-Red Tape Act of 2007.

Beltran had been the DOF’s chief economist and has been serving the department since 1978.

“The main objective of the department order is to find ways to enable the public to transact with the department at a faster pace at least cost. The public deserves nothing less,” Beltran was quoted by the DOF as saying in a statement Thursday.

The anti-red tape team will be comprised of the members of the DOF’s task force on citizen’s charter plus one representative each from DOF-attached agencies’ respective citizen’s charter committees.

The DOF said Dominguez “directed this anti-red tape team to formulate measures designed to speed up work-related processes not only at the department but also in DOF-attached agencies such as the Bureaus of Customs (BOC) and of Internal Revenue (BIR) and government-owned and -controlled corporations (GOCCs).”

Also, “Beltran’s team shall review and evaluate the DOF’s citizen charter as well as rules and regulations regarding processes in the department, bureaus, attached agencies and GOCCs, particularly those that provide frontline services,” it said.

“The team should strictly comply with the provisions of RA 9485, improve efficiency in the conduct and delivery of services, and simplify procedures while ensuring proper controls are in place,” Dominguez said in the order.

It was also tasked to maintain transparency, prevent corruption and safeguard integrity in the delivery of services at the DOF as well as attached bureaus and GOCCs.

Specifically, the team was ordered to review the implementation of the public assistance desk, “no fixer” and “no lunch break” policies.

“Dominguez expects the anti-red tape team to submit three-month reports at the start of each quarter, provide its program, propose next steps and applicable deadlines starting Aug. 1,” the DOF said.

“The team shall review the report card survey and coordinate with the Civil Service Commission to improve the DOF’s ratings, and also provide final recommendations with attached drafts of proposed issuances on or before Dec. 31,” it added.

According to the DOF, “one communications platform being considered under Dominguez’s order is the efficient utilization of social media to help expedite transactions, improve efficiency in service delivery and receive customer feedback.”