Anti-red tape body trains sights on FDA, LTFRB, LRA

The Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) is training it sights on three "priority agencies" plagued by bureaucratic bottlenecks.

During a press briefing in Malacañang on Wednesday, ARTA director general Jeremiah Belgica said the agency is focusing on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), and Land Registration Authority (LRA).

"Nakatutok po kami ngayon sa kanila," Belgica said.

The ARTA chief said that their focus on the said offices "was brought about by complaints and also motu propio investigation."

For the FDA, Belgica noted that the ARTA issued an order of automatic approval and/or renewal of 3,125 pending applications.

"‘Yung FDA, alam po natin na iyan po ay patuloy nating nirereporma dahil sa tambak po ang inabutan po sa kanila and they are scheduled to make their presentation sa amin this week kasi nagkaroon po sila ng kanilang strategic planning and they asked us to sit down and to look at their presentation," he said.

The ARTA also released an order to the LTFRB for the automatic approval of pending applications for the Certification of Public Convenience of Transport Network Vehicle Services (TNVS).

"Iyong Land Transportation Franchising Board. At first, noong una ho naming pagpasok diyan ay kasagsagan po ng isyu po nila sa mga TNVS . And we have continually called upon the leadership to institute immediate reforms po diyan," Belgica said.

"And thirdly, ang amin pong pinuproseso ngayon ay ang Land Registration Authority. Ang LRA, ten years ago, sila po ay mayroon na pong kontrata para i-automate po nang fully ang mga register of deeds at ang kanila pong mga processing. Pero hanggang sa ngayon po ay hindi pa ho natatapos iyong e-titling," he said.

The ARTA chief said the agency is calling on LRA to move forward with e-titling.

"We’re calling on the leadership na i-push ninyo po, siguraduhin ninyo po nai-convert ninyo na po iyan into e-titles dahil kapag na-e-title na po iyan, nakita na po namin, nag-hearing na po kami with them, kapag maku-convert po ng e-titles ang mga titulo, bibilis po; even less than one day kaya po ang processing po diyan," Belgica said. —LDF, GMA News