Press Release
November 29, 2011

ANGARA URGES REFORM IN BUREAUCRATIC PROCESSES

Senator Edgardo J. Angara called on various government agencies to take immediate steps to reform inefficient bureaucratic processes.

"There are so many delays in the processing the most basic documents," lamented Angara. "It takes several steps before you can get a driver's license or file business permits. The problem is not the number of steps, but the inefficiency of the whole process."

Angara cited the scarcity of state-of-the-art computer technology in government offices as one of the main causes of delay.

"Many of these processes are still not computerized. People have to do it manually, and it takes much more time," Angara explained. "On top of that, offices do not even have proper infrastructure or ventilation, so Filipinos end up waiting in line under the hot sun for several hours."

He added, "We also do not have a centralized database so the information is not readily available. In many cases, records are even lost, and this causes even more delays.

"It is this inefficient bureaucracy that breeds corruption even at the lowest levels. Take the case of fixers--Filipinos would not pay extra to fixers if the system is working properly," said the veteran lawmaker.

Angara underscored the need to reform the bureaucratic process in order to create a more conducive business climate in the country. Speedy and efficient processes will not only be helpful to ordinary Filipinos, but will also invite more investors to locate in the country.

"It's time to seriously rethink the mechanisms that hold sway in the country. If we address this problem, we effectively overcome one of the major hindrances to our progress," concluded Angara, author of the landmark Procurement Reform Act which modernized and standardized the government's procurement activities.

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