Ceremonial Signing of the Memorandum of Agreement between the 8888 Citizens' Complaint Center under the Strategic Action and Response Office under the Office of the Executive Secretary (OES-STAR) and the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) on February 22, 2023 at the Premiere Guest House Malacañang Complex. Rey S. Baniquet, PNA
MANILA — The Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) and the Office of the President’s 8888 Citizens’ Complaint Center will act on complaints about slow government processes and issues of corruption as well, an official said on Friday.
The two agencies this week signed a memorandum of agreement on the matter, forming a system where officials will be held accountable when they "fail to perform what is being required of them," a separate Palace statement showed.
ARTA Director-General Ernesto Perez said the development will give "teeth" to both offices since they complement each other's mandates.
"Sang-ayon sa batas ang covered natin ay hindi lang business also non-business-related transactions... Kapag ito po ay binato sa atin ng Presidential Complaint Center o Citizens Complaint Center whether red tape-related or corruption-related ang ARTA po aaksyunan dahil susunod po tayo sa direktiba ng ating Presidente," Perez said during a televised briefing.
"Mapapabilis na mapaganda. Alam naman natin na para labanan ang korapsyon, o labanan ang red tape, dapat streamlined ang government processes, digitalized, at less human intervention," he added.
Before the deal, he said, the citizens' complaint office only submits to ARTA red-tape-related complaints, stressing that the former does not have any mandate and skillset to probe officials.
For context, the office's mandate includes acting on complaints against government processes, heeding the public's requests for assistance, and offering social services.
"Ang mangyayari kapag nakatanggap sila ng reklamo, at after due evaluation ay ibabato po nila ito, ipapasa nila sa Anti-Red Tape Authority bilang sila na po ang complainant," he noted.