BAGUIO CITY – Local government units (LGUs) in the Cordilleras were reminded of delivering quality, people-centered services to their constituents during the Ipeyas Learning Session of the Department of the Interior and Local Government – Cordillera (DILG-CAR) in partnership with the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) Northern Luzon Regional Field Office (RFO) in this city on May 7, 2024.
Dubbed as the “Ipeyas Learning Sessions on Anti-Red Tape,” this webinar sought to reinforce the comprehension and compliance of local officials and functionaries in the region to the provisions of Republic Act (RA) No. 11032 or the Ease of Doing Business (EODB) and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018.
Representing DILG-CAR Regional Director Araceli A. San Jose, ARD Ruperto B. Maribbay, Jr., in his message, emphasized the importance of the LGUs’ compliance to ARTA’s requirements to promote efficiency, accountability and transparency in their delivery of various government services.
“The reiteration of the ARTA requirements, policies, and compliances are not merely academic exercises but critical pillars upon which we build our commitment to effective good governance,” ARD Maribbay said.
Attorney Christina P. Matammu of ARTA Northern Luzon RFO discussed the salient features of RA 11032 where she emphasized the LGUs compliance with the creation of their respective Committees on Anti-Red Tape or CART as specified in Sections 5 and 8 of the Act.
The CART is a body tasked to ensure the LGUs’ compliance to the provisions of RA 11032 and its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR). They are likewise mandated to perform functions that will ensure the improvement of the implementation of various anti-red tape procedures within the organization.
Attorney Matammu added that per ARTA Memorandum Circular No. 2023-08, only Provincial, City, and Municipal governments are required to form a CART, however, each barangay must designate at least one (1) focal person to be a member of the City/Municipal CART.
Meanwhile, Engr. Antonio Gardose III provided an overview on how each LGU should formulate or update their respective Citizen’s Charter. He added that it is important that LGUs complement these by having information billboards and handbooks detailing various LGU services and procedures.
Engr. Gardose also discussed the process of handling complaints and maintaining an effective feedback mechanism through Client Satisfaction Surveys and other similar evaluation instruments.
In her message, ARTA Northern Luzon Regional Head Dr. Lea-Grace B. Salcedo, reiterated the importance of streamlining the LGUs’ processes to ultimately improve the quality of services offered to the citizens, in line with the Bagong Pilipinas Brand of Governance and Leadership.
This episode of the Ipeyas Learning Session is in line with the DILG-CAR’s commitment to promoting bureaucratic efficiency in empowering Cordillera LGUs. It can be recalled that DILG-CAR joined ARTA, Baguio City, and various Benguet towns in reaffirming their collective support to uphold EODB during a town hall meeting on the latter in April this year.
The Ipeyas Learning Session is an initiative of the DILG-CAR, through its Cordillera Local Governance Regional Resource Center (CLGRRC), that seeks to promote knowledge sharing between LGUs, national government agencies, civil society organizations, and learning resource institutes. By Shaira Rulloda
