Press Release
August 28, 2016

Level up: New Lacson anti-red tape bill cuts waiting time to 7 days or less

The public may soon get their applications acted upon in seven days or less, once a new anti-red tape bill filed by Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson is passed into law.

Senate Bill 982 amends parts of Republic Act 9485 to further shorten the deadlines in processing applications to three working days for simple transactions, and seven for complex transactions.

Lacson, the main author of the original law which was passed in 2007, cited President Rodrigo Duterte's directive to reduce requirements and processing time for applications.

"(I)t is imperative to revisit and amend certain provisions of the Anti-Red Tape Act to further enhance the efficiency of our public servants through the reduction of the number of days by which government offices must act upon on the applications or requests submitted by the public," Lacson said in his bill.

The bill shortens the period of processing of applications for simple transactions from the present five days to three; and complex transactions from 10 days to seven.

It also strengthens the present law by including original applications among those subjected to automatic approval if it is not acted upon within the prescribed period.

If a government office or agency fails to approve or disapprove an original application for permit, license or authority within the prescribed period, the application shall be deemed approved.

Applications for renewal of a license, permit or authority shall be deemed automatically extended if not acted upon within the prescribed period, until a decision or resolution is rendered. But this shall not apply if the permit, license or authority involves activities that may endanger public health, safety, morals or policy including natural resource extraction activities.

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