Ruffy Magbanua“Do them and we will work together. Do not do them, we will part sooner than later.”-President Rodrigo R. Duterte
BEFORE a select crowd inside the Rizal Ceremonial Hall in Malacanang, President Rody Duterte, composed and appeared comfy in his Cagayan de Oro-made barong issued his first marching order of the day: Cut red tape in all government transactions.
What is this thing called red tape?
Red tape refers to the bureaucratic practice of hair splitting or foot dragging. Red tape got its name from the color of the ribbon used in tying voluminous government documents. Simply defined, red tape means going through a lot of official forms and procedures before something is accomplished.
An example of red tape is when you have to fill out tons of annoying forms just to get a driver’s license, applying for a loan with the SSS, GSIS, Pag-ibig or getting a copy of your birth certificate from the NSO. Worse, if you are advised to return the next day to follow-up your papers.
And here’s the worst: returning the next day, you are again told to wait for your papers, only to be told later in the day that your application still lacks more supporting documents or you are simply informed that your application has been disapproved. Period.
One classic example of how the government unfairly treats ordinary taxpayers is the issuance of “return slips,” a practice common in the offices of NSO, Pag-ibig, Philhealth, DENR, NCIP, DPWH, Bucor, Deped, and so many other agencies of government.
There was even a time when people seeking for security papers (Secpa) from the NSO would camp out outside of its Gusa offices just to be accommodated first the following day.
Let’s see if that marching order of President Duterte will be effected (read: followed) by people in government so accustomed of dillydallying at the taxpayers’ expense.
If President Duterte has to be followed, he wants to end the long lines in all frontline services, expedite the issuance of drivers’ licenses, plates, passports and other public documents necessary for people to do their work and conduct business.
Undoubtedly, this is an awful public service which the government is infamous for. Red tape breeds a deep culture of corruption and an inertia that is hard to eliminate. It is even addictive, more than taking up the illegal pill that is shabu.
President Duterte plans to push for the fasttracking of business permit applications and clearances, a campaign promise aimed at eliminating corruption and the barriers for small and medium businesses to prosper.
The President is also studying the possibility of crowd-sourcing the best ideas for red tapeeduction similar to what is being done by the European Commission.
He will soon hold, we were told, a competition aimed at identifying innovative suggestions for reducing unnecessary bureaucracy stemming from European law.
The process of real change has just started and we are now going to see (and feel) how this new government would be able to relate to the people whom it promised to serve for the next six years.
His inaugural address was loaded with crisp yet strong and authentic messages appreciated by many. It was directed toward achieving his vision for the country--good governance for a better tomorrow.
Let’s fasten our seatbelts for a rough ride ahead of us. Sure, we will join the ride just the same, but we will make sure we are in touch with this rhetoric as it turns into reality.
Hopefully.
E-mail: ruffy44_ph2000@yahoo.com
