The Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) awarded a certificate of commendation to the local government here on Monday for its anti-red tape initiatives.

During the awarding ceremony, Arta-Region 10 chief Jutchel Nayra said the award given to Cagayan de Oro City is the only one for Mindanao this year.

In Luzon, Nayra said only seven local government units received the recognition, and only Lapu-Lapu City in Visayas.

“The Mayor (Rolando Uy) will likely present himself again on stage (as a recipient for the award) in the upcoming Arta Mindanao Summit,” she said.

Nayra said the city will also host the upcoming summit to be slated this year.

One of the bases for commendation is the local government’s implementation of the “full automation” of the Electronic Business One-Stop Shop (eBoss), developed by the City Finance Department in order to digitalize the business registration processing.

Meanwhile, the Cagayan de Oro Chamber of Commerce and Industry Foundation, Inc. (Oro Chamber) and ARTA signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Monday to intensify the campaign against red tape and corruption in the bureaucracy.

The MOU, signed between ARTA Director General and Sec. Ernesto Perez and Oro Chamber president Raymundo Talimio Jr., establishes communication channels to handle private sector complaints better and improve information dissemination on Republic Act 11032, or the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018.

Under the MOU, the Oro Chamber, as the recognized official representative of the private business community in this city, will serve as a liaison between ARTA and the business sector.

Oro Chamber members will be authorized to receive and process complaints from the business sector, civil society organizations, and professionals for any violation of RA 11032. (PNA)