The Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) has recognized the city government of Marikina for being an exemplary local government unit (LGU) in terms of simplifying and streamlining business permits and licensing procedures.

Mayor Marcelino Teodoro received the certificate of commendation from ARTA Director General Ernesto Perez in simple rites in Marikina City on Monday.

Teodoro said the city government’s efforts to make business permitting and licensing a lot easier for Marikeños did not go unnoticed as the city government has just been recognized for fully setting up an electronic Business One-Stop Shop (eBOSS) and introducing helpful reforms and technologies that enabled more seamless and efficient business processes.

“Nakita niyo naman kung ano ang nagagawa kung nag-uusap ang lokal at ang nasyonal na pamahalaan. Kinikilala natin sa Marikina ang pamamaraang whole-of-government approach sa pagsasakatuparan ng ating mga proyekto. Sa pag-streamline ng ating business registration processes, kailangan ay tamang pagkakataon para buo nating maipatupad ito (You have seen what can be done when the local and the national government talk together. We in Marikina recognize the whole-of-government approach to the realization of our projects. With the streamlining of our business registration processes, we need the right opportunity to fully implement it),” Teodoro said in a statement on Tuesday.

The ARTA said Marikina has “successfully implemented all functionalities in setting up the eBOSS” as required by the law and as further stated in ARTA, Department of Trade and Industry, Department of the Interior and Local Government, and Department of Information and Communications Technology’s Joint Memorandum Circular No. 01, series of 2021, and Republic Act No. 11032 or the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018, thereby providing quality and efficient service to the public.

“Isang napakagandang oportunidad sa Anti-Red Tape Authority na i-recognize ang Marikina (It is a wonderful opportunity for the Anti-Red Tape Authority to recognize Marikina) as one of the seven out of the 17 cities and municipalities in the National Capital Region, to comply with the requirement,” Perez said.

“We are so happy to recognize Marikina and award the certificate of recognition. We feel that we really have to encourage all LGUs to set up and operationalize this Electronic Business One-Stop Shop,” he added.

Perez said that based on their experience and records, those that have complied with such requirements showed an increase in the number of registration and revenue collections.

He then encouraged the other LGUs to follow the example set by Marikina City.

“We would like to call other LGUs to follow suit because if all LGUs will comply with this requirement, it will really result in the improvement of our economy, increase the revenue collections of LGUs, and increase in the revenue registrations of LGUs,” he said. (PNA)