Project CURE

Comprehensive and Unified Response to Eliminate (CURE) Red Tape in Local Governments Program

I. Program Objectives

• To deepen understanding on the Anti-Red Tape Law and its imperatives in valuing good local governance.
• To support the capacity development of local governments in creating and sustaining a business-friendly environment.
• To help improve the efficiency and effectiveness of local government units in their delivery of frontline services. 
• To ensure accountability of local authorities in institutionalizing the ease of doing business and the ease of availing other frontline services in their localities.

 II. Program Coverage 

All Provinces, Cities and Municipalities, except those who have more advanced systems and those in the ARMM

III. Key Components of the Program

Component A

General Advocacy cum Orientation for Selected Provincial, City and Municipal Government Personnel. This component aims to increase the citizen’s knowledge on the pertinent information regarding the law on Anti-Red Tape (Republic Act 9485 or the Anti-Red Tape Act of 2007). The Local Government Academy of the DILG, in cooperation with a core group of national government agencies such as the Civil Service Commission, Presidential Anti-Graft Commission, Office of the Ombudsman and the Development Academy of the Philippines sitting as panel members in the discussion, will conduct a 1 ½ day orientation to the cities and capital towns in the country clustered in terms of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao domain.The participants to the said orientation are city or municipal mayors, vice-mayors, city or municipal administrators and CLGOOs or MLGOOs. A significant output through this activity is the enhanced version of the Primer on the Anti-Red Tape Act, which includes the Frequently Asked Questions portion, derived from the issues and concerns raised in the panel discussion part of the said orientation.

• Lead Agency – Local Government Academy
• Service Delivery Partners: DILG Regional Offices; Civil Service Commission; Development Academy of the Philippines

Component B

Capacity Building through Skills Enhancement for Selected Provincial, City and Municipal Government Personnel Component II is composed of the formal training in the LGUs in their formulation of the Citizen’s Charter and compliance to the anti-red tape law. To strategically implement this component, an organized pool of National and Regional Coaches will be trained on the technical nuances of the formulation of the Citizen’s Charter and the Anti-Red Tape Law. These coaches will then be implementing the massive roll-out of this program as identified in their strategies of implementation in their training. With this, an Instructive Guide in the Formulation of the Citizen’s Charter is a significant deliverable from the Department through the LGA. This publication will be used in the massive orientation and skills training for the selected municipalities covered in the program. The Instructive Guide features the step-by-step preparation of the Citizen’s Charter to its implementation and sustainability. It also includes the institutionalization of feedback mechanisms to ensure continuous enhancement of the said Charter.

• Lead Agency – Local Government Academy
• Service Delivery Partners: DILG Regional Offices; Civil Service Commission; Development Academy of the Philippines

Component C

Anti-Red Tape Policy and Performance Audit In this component, the Policy Audit and Compliance Tracking System will be the principal management tool to be used in achieving Objective No. 4 of the Comprehensive and Unified Response to Eliminate Red Tape in Local Governments Program. The PACTS has two phases. The intention of Phase 1, which is the policy audit part, is to establish benchmark information on legislative actions in compliance to the mandates of the Anti-Red Tape Act of 2007, and DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2008-164 dated November 4, 2008. This is a one-time audit.The objectives of Phase 2, which is Compliance Tracking, are 3-fold: (a) To generate baseline information on the creation of appropriate and working administrative mechanisms, or in the development of plans and programs to actualize the intent of the above-mentioned law and Department Directive; (b) To generate information, on a periodic basis, on actions or accomplishments of provincial governments, city governments and municipal governments in furtherance of the Anti-Red Tape Act and DILG MC No. 2008-164; and © To generate subject matter-related operational issues which information is linked to the administrative discipline dimension of general supervision. This phase is a continuing audit for Objectives (a) and (b) and on-the-spot audit for Objective ©.

• Lead Agency – Bureau of Local Government Supervision
• Service Delivery Partners: DILG Regional Offices; Local Government Academy; Legal Service

IV. Final Program Outputs
Component A

General Advocacy cum Orientation for Selected Provincial, City and Municipal Government Personnel

• Primer on the Anti-Red Tape
• Compendium of Good Anti-Red Tape Practices
• Communications Strategy

Component B

Capacity-Building through Skills Enhancement for Selected Provincial, City and Municipal Government Personnel

• Instructive Guide in the Formulation of a Citizen’s Charter
• Organized National and Regional Coaches

Component C

Anti-Red Tape Policy and Performance Audit

• PACTS
• PACTS Database 

Participating Local Government

• Citizen’s Charter 
• Procedure in Accessing a Frontline Service
• Public Assistance or Complaint Desk
• One-Stop-Shop or Walk-in Service Counter
• Courtesy Lane for Pregnant Women, Senior Citizens and Persons with Disabilities
• Legislative Measure

While the law directs the completion of the above-listed requirements within September, 2009, in the thinking of this program, all such requirements have to be in place by June, 2009. And while legislative action is not explicitly provided in the law, the same is considered vital in strengthening the policy foundation of anti-red tape practices at the local level.

VI. Responsibilities of DILG Administrative Levels

Component A

General Advocacy cum Orientation for Selected Provincial, City and Municipal Government Personnel – c/o LGA

Component B

Capacity Building through Skills Enhancement for Selected Provincial, City and Municipal Government Personnel – c/o LGA

Component C

Anti-Red Tape Policy and Performance Audit

As provided in the PACTS, the MLGOO, CLGOO or City Director shall:

• Link PACTS Information to the administrative guidance or technical support services of the Department; 
• Refer to the Regional Office, through the Provincial Office, where appropriate, for fact-finding, any illegal act or activity committed by a local official in violation of the Anti-Red Tape Act; 
• Maintain a Municipal or City Database on PACTS results;
• Accomplish all Basic Forms; and
• Furnish the Provincial Director or Regional Director, as the case may be, with copies of the accomplished Basic Forms, and Phenomenal (Issue-Management) Report(s), the latter where higher level action is required.

As provided in the PACTS, the Provincial Director shall:

• Link PACTS Information to the supervisory authority of the Provincial Governor over component local government;
• Link PACTS Results to the administrative guidance and technical support services of the Department; 
• Transmit to the Regional Office, for fact-finding, any complaint, in whatever form, on any illegal act or activity committed by a local official in violation of the Anti-Red Tape Act; 
• Maintain a Provincial Database on PACTS results;
• Accomplish all Basic Forms applicable to the provincial government; and
• Furnish the Regional Director with copies of all Basic Forms and provincial tabulations of all Basic Forms from MLGOOs and CLGOOs in the province, and Phenomenal (Issue-Management) Report(s)the latter where higher level action is required.

As provided in the PACTS, the Regional Director shall:

• Link PACTS Information to the supervisory authority of the Provincial Governor over component local governments; 
• Implement administrative guidance strategies and other forms of technical intervention to effect better policy compliance among provincial, city and municipal governments in the region;
• Upon complaint, in whatever form, or upon knowledge of any illegal act or activity committed by a local official in violation of the Anti-Red Tape Act, conduct fact-finding and submit a report, together with recommendation(s) to the Secretary, through the Legal Service, for evaluation and filing of appropriate charges, if warranted by evidence gathered;
• Cause the region-wide implementation of the PACTS;
• Maintain a Regional Database on PACTS results; and
• Furnish the Secretary with a Regional Policy Audit Report and a Regional Policy Compliance Tracking Report and such other periodic reports on subsequent administrative guidance or technical support actions, including Phenomenal (Issue-Management) Report, where OSEC action is essential.

The Bureau of Local Government Supervision shall:

• Develop the PACTS;
• Maintain a National Database on the PACTS;
• Prepare National Reports on Policy Audit and Policy Compliance; and 
• Establish, or help establish, the link between information and capacity development and other technical or desired forms of interventions by concerned central government authorities.

The value of the PACTS is not limited to the information that is to be generated through its implementation. The information has to be effectively linked to decisions or actions either by this Department or by concerned local governments.

At the regional level, linking information to regional actions shall be the responsibility of the Regional Director. At the central office level, linking information to central government actions shall be the responsibility of the Undersecretary for Local Governments.