Many people who have already gone to Philippine government agencies dread processing an official document because of the ordeal they have to undergo, all thanks to Red Tape. Despite the constant reminder of putting a lid on these bad practices, requests continue to fall on deaf ears. In the past, a person falling victim to sluggish processes was left with no other choice but to keep a stiff upper lip. Putting some teeth into the Anti Red-Tape Act of 2007 has begun to bear fruits. Aside from the implementation of Anti-Red Tape Act of 2007 or R.A. No. 9485, Idulog is also another avenue for filing a complaint in the event you see any irregularities on processing an official document. As stated in Section 8 of the Anti-Red Tape Act of 2007, frontline agencies should provide the following services.
SEC. 8. Accessing Frontline Services. — The following shall be adopted by all government offices and agencies:
(a) Acceptance of Applications and Requests — (1) All officers or employees shall accept written applications; requests, and/or documents being submitted by clients of the office or agency.
(2) The responsible officer or employee shall acknowledge receipt of such application and/or request by writing or printing clearly thereon his/her name, the unit where he/she is connected with, and the time and date of receipt.
(3) The receiving officer or employee shall perform a preliminary assessment of the request so as to promote a more expeditious action on requests.
(b) Action of Offices — (1) All applications and/or requests submitted shall be acted upon by the assigned officer or employee during the period stated in the Citizen’s Charter which shall not be longer than five working days in the case of simple transactions and ten (10) working days in the case of complex transactions from the date the request or application was received. Depending on the nature of the frontline services requested or the mandate of the office or agency under unusual circumstances, the maximum time prescribed above may be extended. For the extension due to the nature of frontline services or the mandate of the office or agency concerned, the period for the delivery of frontline services shall be indicated in the Citizen’s Charter. The office or agency concerned shall notify the requesting party in writing of the reason for the extension and the final date of release for the extension and the final date of release of the frontline service/s requested.
(2) No application or request shall be returned to the client without appropriate action. In case an application or request is disapproved, the officer or employee who rendered the decision shall send a formal notice to the client within five working days from the receipt of the request and/or application, stating therein the reason for the disapproval including a list of specific requirements which the client failed to submit.
(c) Denial of Request for Access to Government Service — Any denial of request for access to government service shall be fully explained in writing, stating the name of the person making the denial and the grounds upon which such denial is based. Any denial of request is deemed to have been made with the permission or clearance from the highest authority having jurisdiction over the government office or agency concerned.
(d) Limitation of Signatories — The number of signatories in any document shall be limited to a maximum of five signatures which shall represent officers directly supervising the office or agency concerned.
(e) Adoption of Working Schedules to Serve Clients — Heads of offices and agencies which render frontline services shall adopt appropriate working schedules to ensure that all clients who are within their premises prior to the end of official working hours are attended to and served even during lunch break and after regular working hours.
(f) Identification Card — All employees transacting with the public shall be provided with an official identification card which should be visibly worn during office hours.
(g) Establishment of Public Assistance/Complaints Desk — Each office or agency shall establish a public assistance/complaints desk in all their offices.
If you feel that these agencies fell short of expectations, you can file a complaint at http://www.gov.ph/feedback/idulog or call 8888 to report the violation. Aside from complaints, the website also caters to suggestions, compliment, general inquiries and much more. You can even request for an official document or request a message from the President. The form for filing a complaint is also available on the website.
