ARTA pushes efficiency drive among gov’t agencies

The Anti-Red Tape Authority (Arta) is targeting the inclusion of thousands of government-run bodies in its report card survey as part of a massive undertaking to streamline the processes of these organizations.

Ernesto Perez, director general of Arta, told reporters there are plans to onboard state universities, government hospitals, and government-owned or -controlled corporations in their report card surveys (RCS).

“Our target is one-third of the total universe. Our total universe is more than 10,000. So, we will be covering about 3,000 agencies,” Perez said, adding that they already had a pilot run including forty government agencies.

The Arta official said 50 organizations were supposed to be part of the RCS—which ran from the last week of October to November—but 10 were unable to comply with the requirements.

Some of the government agencies that participated were the Department of Trade and Industry, Philippine Health Insurance Corp., the Government Service Insurance System, and the University of the Philippines Diliman campus.

The state-run hospitals that were part of Arta’s RCS include Philippine General Hospital, East Avenue Medical Center, Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital, Philippine Children’s Medical Center and Philippine Heart Center.

“What we really saw as an issue was the payment system. Not all of them have online options,” said Perez, adding that they are encouraging these entities to not only have an online application system but to also adopt an online means of payment for their services.

In line with the directives of President Marcos, the Arta official said they plan to further minimize bureaucratic inefficiencies among government agencies next year through streamlining and automation of government services.

“Next year would be the full operationalization of the programs, streamlining and automation,” Perez said. INQ