Duterte orders govt agencies: Settle all transactions by December 15
Credit to Author: Catherine S. Valente, TMT| Date: Wed, 20 Nov 2019 14:24:49 +0000
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday ordered government offices to finish all transactions by December 15, as he lamented anew the slow processing of documents in government.
In his speech during the 80th anniversary of the Department of National Defense in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City, the President instructed all departments and government offices to either approve or disapprove all pending transactions next month.
“It seems that things are moving very slow. And that is why it is still a source of corruption. The longer you sit on the paper or nothing at all — either you are not working, you are a… I don’t know what you’d do with government,” Duterte said.
“Even the Cabinet members they have one month to decide. I must have your decision of the papers before you. And I said last night, it has to be December 15. It’s been so many months now. Papers that are on your table must be out with a decision. If it’s for approval, good; if it is for denial, fine. But let it out,” he added.
The President again mentioned the applications that had been pending before the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA).
“Every road, whatever is built on this planet — roads, there is always trains. There’s always the easement in your map technically, even if it is not mentioned because that is owned by government. So if you are not ready to do that, I’m calling the NEDA which is a laggard in the… So it’s too much. I cannot wait for that. What are you doing in the office?” Duterte said.
“So I said, I’ll give you one month. The directors, if you sit on it any longer, then you’re waiting for the guy could come to you again and you ask money. And I said that you do not have to do that. If you have an application, anybody of you here, any foreigner and you want your papers filed with government, give it to me and I will give it to the proper department with a corresponding order. Do that in one month or else you go out of the office,” he added.
Duterte has long complained about the bureaucratic red tape in government.
In his first marching order to his Cabinet secretaries and heads of agencies after he assumed office in June 2016, Duterte directed them to reduce requirements and the processing time of all applications, and to refrain from changing the rules in government contracts and transactions.
In May last year, the President signed Republic Act 11032 or the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018 which seeks for simplified requirements and to streamline procedures in the delivery of services.