Red tape solution?

Published by the Visayan Daily Star Publications, Inc.

NINFA R. LEONARDIA Editor-in-Chief & President

CARLA P. GOMEZ Editor GUILLERMO TEJIDA III Desk Editor PATRICK PANGILINAN Busines Editor NIDA A. BUENAFE Sports Editor RENE GENOVE Bureau Chief, Dumaguete MAJA P. DELY Advertising Coordinator

CARLOS ANTONIO L. LEONARDIA Administrative Officer

One of the pet peeves not only of those who transact business with government is the occurrence of the so-called bureaucratic red tape, termed such essentially because of the bloated system that we have in government. Hence, it has always been a lament of many that transactions in government take forever because of the circuitous route the paper trail takes.

Thus, the recent move of the provincial government of Negros Oriental to establish a text messaging line to counter red tape in offices under its jurisdiction has been met with optimism. It is also worthy to note that the method of reporting erring employees who unnecessarily delay transactions is mass-friendly. After all, SMS, more popularly known as text messaging, is the most accessible way through which Filipinos today reach out to others to communicate.

A brainchild of Gov. Emilio Macias II, it takes off as a result of R.A. 9485 or the “Anti-Red Tape Act of 2007,” which aims to enhance the country’s competitiveness and efficiency.

Aside from this, other efforts to curb red tape at the Provincial Capitol are the simplification of the processing of papers and the creation of the anti-red tape committee. Moreover, employees have recently been put on two shifts, hopefully, to reduce the backlog of papers.

Whatever the methods are to promote efficiency in the conduct of government affairs, is secondary so long as these are received well by the public, and so long as the people in government take them very seriously. These employees, after all, are not beholden to anyone, but to the ordinary taxpayers who are their reason for being in their offices.*