THE DEPARTMENT of Agriculture (DA) has formed a committee to deal with streamlining its processes in compliance with a government mandate across all agencies to reduce red tape.
Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar signed Special Order No. 576 on Aug. 11 creating the committee, adding that it will ensure the DA’s compliance with Republic Act No. 11032 or the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act and its implementing rules and regulations.
According to the special order, Undersecretary for Administration and Finance Roldan G. Gorgonio will chair the committee.
Mr. Dar said the committee will conduct a compliance cost analysis, time and motion studies, and evaluate areas of improvement for DA services.
He said the committee is also subject to a national policy on regulatory management systems to be issued by the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA), which includes notifying ARTA of every creation, revision, and repeal of regulations, ordinances or other related issuances. The DA is also obliged to conduct post-implementation assessments of current regulations; prepare preliminary impact assessments; and produce a regulatory impact assessment.
It is also required to refer ARTA policy recommendations to the officials concerned and submit an inventory of all current regulations and issuances.
Mr. Dar also ordered the committee to guarantee effective information dissemination on ARTA-related training; register new regulations and issuances with the University of the Philippines Office of the National Administrative Register or the Official Gazette; create updated service standards; and periodically review and update the DA’s citizen’s charter.
He said the committee must also ensure DA compliance on the zero-contact policy and the prescribed processing times for applications, and to develop a client feedback mechanism and measure their satisfaction.
A further task is to establish a Public Assistance Complaints Desk or ARTA help desk to receive and address complaints, serve as the overall coordinating unit for the creation of an electronic business one-stop shop, and help in the dissemination of ARTA information materials for public use.
“All heads of DA regional field offices, bureaus, and attached agencies and corporations are hereby directed to create and designate a sub-committee on anti-red tape in their respective offices,” Mr. Dar said. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave