MANILA - The Philippines will establish its own 'Ease of Doing Business' report after the World Bank decided to discontinue its annual survey last year, the country's anti-red tape body said on Monday.
Some of the methods used by the World Bank will also be employed in drafting the report, but given a "local flavor", said the Anti-Red Tape Authority.
ARTA Director General Sec. Jeremiah Belgica said this reporting system will help make it easier for Filipinos to do transactions with government including those who want to start a business and apply for permits.
"By contextualizing our measurement and our surveys, we would be able to have a more responsive and more contextualized competition not only against our neighboring countries within the region and elsewhere, but more so within our localized context between government agencies and between local government units," Belgica said.
This system will help check and monitor the processes in various government agencies. An incentive system with the performance of government offices may also be determined.
ARTA Deputy Director General for Operations Ernesto Perez added, the target stakeholders of the Philippine EODB System shall be national government agencies and local government units. He said this will improve the business climate in the country, encourage investments and promote economic recovery.
Perez said this new reporting system will help not just big businesses, but ordinary citizens as well especially those who may want to start a small business.
"They will be assured that the processes are streamlined at reduced number of documentary requirements and at reduced number of steps for lesser processing time," Perez said.
Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez said the EODB report will help the government successful reforms as well as areas for improvement.
"By having a system in place for regulatory review, assessment, and monitoring, the quality and effectiveness of government reforms that affect business operations can be evaluated more accurately," Lopez said.
Sec. Leoncio Evasco, Presidential Adviser on Streamlining of Government Processes added this new system will help local government units "step up and provide the easiest ways of dealing with applications for licenses, permits and clearances."
"This will not only improve the competitiveness of the country on doing business, but will also be of great help to our countrymen who would want to set up businesses for less cost and less hassle," Evasco said.
The first Philippine EODB report is expected to be released before the end of the term of President Duterte.
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