MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte would certify as urgent a measure giving him anti-red tape emergency powers amid the coronavirus pandemic, Executive secretary Salvador Medialdea said.
“We will act on your request,” Medialdea told bill sponsor Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri during a Senate hearing on Monday.
According to Zubiri, the emergency powers is a “blanket authority” across national and local government agencies and units.
“It’s like an anti-red tape emergency power during the duration of the state of emergency to allow the President to shorten the prescribed time for government transactions for licenses and permits as well as allowing, during this time to waive the requirements needed to secure these licenses and permits,” the Negrense senator said.
“With these powers he can cut short the processes and even cut the requirements needed,” he added.
Under the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act signed into law in 2018, government agencies should only take three days to process simple transactions, seven days for complex transactions, and 20 days for highly technical transactions./PN
