“Public service must be fast, must be fair, and must be free from undue burden.”
This was the marching order of Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian as shared by Director Wayne Belizar of the Management Service (MS) and Committee on Anti-Red Tape (CART) Secretariat with the members of the Media during the Thursday Media Forum on May 8 at the Central Office’s New Press Center in Quezon City.
In line with the observance of the Ease of Doing Business (EOD) Month this May, Director Belizar discussed at the Media Forum the agency’s transformative governance to streamline frontline services and prevent red tape.
This year’s EODB theme, “Red Tape to Red Carpet: Better Business Movement in a Bagong Pilipinas,” calls for all government agencies to transition toward more streamlined, paper-less processes that are more client-centric.
“Ang EODB Act ay napakagandang batas kasi ang recipient nito ay ang taong bayan. We owe it to the people na talagang paigtingin, pabilisan at mas maging maayos ang proseso ng pagkuha nila ng clearance, permit, ng mga authority, mga lisensiya to operate,” Director Belizar told reporters.
The DSWD official added that the Department believes the delivery of public service should never be burdensome, especially for the most vulnerable sectors of society.
Under the slogan #EASEangDSWD, the agency expressed its commitment to make its services more efficient, simple and empowering to the sectors it serves, according to the MS director.
“Sabi ni Secretary Gatchalian noong siya ay pumasok sa DSWD, i-promote ang ease of doing social welfare. Sabi pa niya, let’s move barriers, simplify the process, and bring government closer to the people,” Director Belizar said.
The DSWD official reiterated what Secretary Gatchalian has emphasized that actions to make the services more accessible is not just a compliance of the law.
Director Belizar further explained: “The Secretary challenged everyone in the Department to rethink how we serve the people and directed us to streamline internal processes, eliminate redundant and unnecessary processes, and remove procedural bottlenecks that frustrate our clients, especially the poor, vulnerable and those in remote areas.”
Following this directive, the DSWD has since successfully pursued a digital transformation with the launch of the online Harmonized Electronic License and Permit System (HELPS), the online Minors Travelling Abroad (MTA) system, and the Kaagapay Donations Portal early this year.
The DSWD also recently streamlined its accreditation of pre-marriage counsellors, which cut down the processing of compliant applications from 19 days to merely 3 days.
As part of Secretary Gatchalian’s instructions, the DSWD is working at harmonizing its databases across programs to ensure better targeting and avoid duplication.
The Department is also undertaking internal reforms and digital innovations, streamlining of frontline processes, and strengthening the agency’s Committee on Anti-Red Tape (CART) with the Secretary as the chairperson.
The DSWD official explained that these initiatives benefit the public who simply want to access the programs they need “na walang hassle, walang delay at walang fixer.” (GDVF)