The Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) urged the local government officials to effectively implement and comply with Republic Act 11032, known as Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Services Delivery Act of 2018.
ARTA Director General Jeremiah Belgica made this call as he apprised the local government officials of Western Samar and Tacloban City during the launching of the Philippine Moral Transportation at Catbalogan and Calbayog City on November 26.
Belgica served as the guest speaker for the launch of the program, an initiative of the Office of the Presidential Adviser for Religious Affairs.
Also present were representatives from the Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Health, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, and the Philippine National Police.
On November 27, Belgica paid a courtesy visit to Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez and conducted a surprise inspection of the city’s Business One-Stop Shop, one of the services offered by the city government through the Business Permits and Licensing Division in compliance with R.A. 11032.
“The process of reforms moves around different regions in the country to strengthen our campaign against red tape. We want to make the presence of Anti-Red Tape Authority felt and bring about reforms of East of Doing Business Law for our people,” Belgica said in a news release on Tuesday.
Belgica also met with the Department of Trade and Industry – Tacloban Regional Director Celerina Bato to discuss deputizing the regional personnel of the office to perform the powers and functions of ARTA which is in accordance with the Implementing Rules and Regulations of the law.
The Philippines was ranked as the seventh best country in the world to invest in or do business for 2020, according to CEO Magazine.
In an article posted on its website on April 29, the CEO Magazine said the Philippines got a total score of 81.5 based on the report released by CEOWORLD in February when some countries have already reported confirmed cases of the deadly coronavirus disease (Covid-19).
The CEOWORLD study analyzed 80 countries according to business and investment environments. Corruption, freedom, workforce, investor protection, infrastructure, taxes, quality of life, red tape and technological readiness were among the factors taken into consideration.
The Philippines scored high in terms of constitutional framework (94.9), education and research (94.8), market potential (92.8) and trade openness (91.3).
Economic stability (69.8), skilled labor force (64.61), and government policies (62.54) were also measured.
Singapore topped the list of most attractive nations for investors and businesspeople followed by the UK, Poland, Indonesia, and India.
Australia was in 6th place followed by the Philippines, the US, Malaysia, and Czech Republic.
The United Arab Emirates, Germany, China, and Japan ranked 12th, 16th, 31st, and 32nd, respectively, among the world’s best countries to invest in or do business this year.