Government to create single operating system to simplify transactions

PRESIDENT Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has approved the creation of a single operating system for all government transactions in a bid to ensure ease of doing business in the country.

In a statement, the Malacañang said Marcos led a sectoral meeting on improving bureaucratic efficiency on Wednesday, April 12, 2023, where they discussed efforts to simplify government transactions, noting that the best way to reduce requirements and processing time is for government agencies to adopt data sharing so that documents submitted in one agency should no longer be required in another agency.

Marcos emphasized that government agencies working on a code or policy must take into consideration the differences between the national bureaucracy and various local government units (LGUs).

He said there are technological reasons, as well as political and local considerations to comply with the law to which the government has to deal with.

“I think it may help when you’re writing the code or when you’re putting the system together, you’re going to have to think about the differences between the national bureaucracy and the different LGUs,” said Marcos.

“Those are the things that we still work with. The questions we were trying to bring it down to that level, and the local governments are really part of that thing. You’ve seen how it can happen. That’s what we need to address,” he added.

At present, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and the Anti-Red Tape Authority (Arta) are mapping the processes of different agencies so they can be able to collate them in a single system.

They are also conducting stakeholder consultations involving all government agencies to look at their processes and requirements with the aim of encouraging them to use a unified application form, linking them to the network that sets up a “one-stop-shop.”

This includes integration of all the processes for migrant workers, maritime, as well as shipping industries.

Under Section 11 of Republic Act 11032, LGUs are required to set up and traditionalize electronic business one-stop-shop, which will standardize LGU requirements.

Marcos directed the DICT and Arta to assist LGUs in adopting the Business Permits and Licensing Systems in All Cities and Municipalities (BPLS) system.

To ensure the strengthened implementation of streamlining and digitalization initiatives, Arta is requesting the approval of the proposed revisions on Executive Order (EO) 482, series of 2005, to make it responsive to the current situation and also the issuance of corresponding Administrative Orders and EOs. (SunStar Philippines)