Lacson Lauds LGU's Commitment to Enforce Anti-Red Tape Law

Senator Panfilo M. Lacson today lauded the move of more than 1,000 local government units to expedite their compliance to the requirements of the Anti-Red Tape Act of 2007.

"As the author and sponsor of this measure, Republic Act 9485, I personally commend the people who are behind efforts to see through the implementation of this law and finally reap its benefits for the common folk who transact business with government", Lacson said.

In crafting the legislation, Lacson precisely intended to ease up and accelerate government transactions in agencies at the local government level such as securing permits and clearances; and tighten the noose on grafters and corrupt members of the bureaucracy.

"It was my advocacy then when we crafted the bill, and still my advocacy now – to make government more efficient and trustworthy by eliminating graft and corrupt practices in the system", Lacson said while citing the relevant contributions of former Civil Service Commission chair Karina David, under whose stewardship the bill materialized.

Some 1,600 local government units and agencies with frontline services made a commitment this week to finish its "citizen’s charter", a covenant of service standards between local governments and their clients before the June 2009 deadline.

Spearheaded by the Civil Service Commission, the manual of more than 300 pages describes the step-by-step procedures and the number of hours or minutes in which a resident should be able to get permits and or assistance for regulatory, basic, administrative and support services.

It also contains, among other things, a directory of local and regional government agencies.

Under RA 9485, simple transactions should be resolved within five working days and ten working days for complex transactions. Any violations of the charter would make local governments or employees liable for criminal and administrative charges with penalties of up to six years in prison or P200,000 in fine. They could also be dismissed and disqualified from public service.