ARTA to audit gov't compliance on processing time on March 7

The Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) said on Saturday they would begin a random audit of government agencies' compliance on the prescribed processing time for transactions under the Ease of Doing Business (EODB) Act on March 7.

In an interview on Super Radyo dzBB, ARTA Director-General Jeremiah Belgica said that his agency had set March 7, 2020 as "3-7-20 Day."

"Simula po nun magco-conduct ang ARTA at PACC (Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission) ng audit para sigurahing nagco-comply ang key government agencies sa '3-7-20' rule," Belgica said.

The EODB directs all government agencies - local and national - to finish simple transactions in three working days, complex transactions in seven working days, and 20 working days for highly technical transactions.

Belgica said government agencies were also directed to have a "wholesale" release or automatic approval of all aging pending applications if all the requirements had been submitted and fees were settled.

Possible criminal charges for violation of the EODB law would be slapped against officials of local government units and national government agencies over failures to comply with the prescribed processing time for transactions, the ARTA chief said. — Ted Cordero/DVM, GMA News