THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said an executive order (EO) expediting business permits to be issued soon by President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. will complement the functions of the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA).
Trade Secretary Alfredo E. Pascual said in a statement over the weekend that the EO is also expected to generate more jobs as businesses are set up in “less-developed areas.”
“Through this (EO) and with the help of ARTA especially in streamlining government procedures, we will create a more favorable business ecosystem by ensuring that investors who are planning to expand in the Philippines go through seamless application processes,” Mr. Pascual said.
The ARTA was created by Republic Act No. 11032 or the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act. Under the law, the ARTA is tasked with improving government services and monitoring the compliance of agencies in streamlining their processes.
The Office of the Press Secretary has announced that Mr. Marcos is expected to issue an EO on the expedited permit process for strategic investments, and for the creation of a “green lane” for approving such investments.
Strategic investments include priority projects or activities under the Strategic Investment Priority Plan, projects endorsed by the Fiscal Incentives Review Board, foreign direct investments endorsed by the Inter-Agency Investment Promotion Coordination Committee, and projects of national significance.
According to the DTI, the EO has a specific provision that directs National Government Agencies (NGAs) and local government units (LGUs) to simultaneously process applications for permits and licenses under the presumption that required documents from other agencies have already been issued.
“Relative to this, the applicant shall execute an affidavit of undertaking that it has secured the relevant documents from specific NGAs or LGUs and/or that it shall submit the complete documentary requirements within 30 working days,” the DTI said.
The DTI said that other key features of the proposed EO include a single point of entry for strategic investments availing of the green lane services, which will have dedicated account officers.
The DTI said it also proposed the creation of a one-stop action center for strategic investments.
“Further, periodic reporting to the President of the Philippines will be done on the designation and endorsement of Strategic Investments and the progress made in its implementation. These updates shall be regularly reported to the Cabinet at an interval to be determined by the Presidential Management Staff,” the DTI said. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave
