Anti-Red Tape Law directs LGUs to formulate Citizens Charter

By Philippine Information Agency (PIA 8)
November 16, 2008

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte  –  One of the key provisions of the Anti-Red Tape Law of 2007 or RA 9485, is the formulation of Citizen’s Charter by each Local Government Unit in the country.

The Citizen’s Charter is a document that contains information of the frontline services being provided by the local government unit to its citizens.

The Citizen’s Charter, which shall be formulated by a task force constituted by the local chief executives, could come in the form of information billboards which should be posted at the main entrance of offices or at the most conspicuous place, and in the form of published materials written in either English or Filipino, or in the local dialect.

The Citizen’s Charter shall include such information like vision and mission; identification of the frontline services offered, and the clientele; step-by-step procedure to obtain a particular service; and officer or employee responsible for each step.

The Charter shall also include the maximum time to conclude the process; documents to be presented by the client; amount of fees, if necessary, procedure for filing of complaints in relation to requests and applications, among others.

With the citizen's charter, the public can clearly follow the steps of the services offered, and easily identify the loopholes in the given system.

This will indeed, eliminate bureaucratic red tape, avert graft and corruption practices and improve the efficiency of government frontline services.