Fight versus red tape bolstered in Northern Luzon

BAGUIO CITY (April 28, 2022)— Strengthening the promotion of government accountability and transparency,  the Office of the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) has formally launched Thursday its Northern Luzon regional offices  in at the National Food Authority (NFA) Compound, Loakan Road, Baguio City.

Chief of Staff and Deputy Director General for Administration , Finance and Special Programs Undersecretary Carlos Quita explained that the setting up of the NL Regional Office is part of the government’s program to ease services and speed up the processing time of government transactions much to the welfare of the people in accordance to the Anti-Red Tape Act (ARTA).

To achieve this, Quita said, ARTA is employing both capacitation of personnel of government agencies and bodies with trainings and skill equipment and enforcement wherein government officials and employees going against their mandate be given necessary disciplinary and appropriate legal actions.

According to him, the agencies will be tasked also to capacitate their ranks in ensuring the smooth flow of their operations.

Quita said the different ARTA formations under the Regional Office will be required to submit their plans of action and particular programs.

He however admitted that one of the challenges the ARTA will have to deal with is their limited number of personnel.

Quita said they have to empower ARTA with force multipliers in order to ensure the full function and implementation of ARTA.

He added that they have to partner with various government offices and agencies and also with the private sector.

USec and Deputy General for Operations Ernesto Perez said that the Regional Office in Baguio City will be a mini ARTA in the Cordillera Region.

One of the main function is to go around the different government agencies and ensure that they will follow the requirements under the ARTA law.

Artemio A. Dumlao