MBC urges ARTA to create private sector advisory body

The Makati Business Club (MBC) is urging the Anti-red Tape Authority (Arta) to create a private sector advisory council to provide inputs to its ease of doing business initiatives, citing that such a body will be instrumental in the success of its mandate.

This was according to Edgar Chua, chair of MBC, noting that there needs to be a paradigm shift in the way government agencies operate.

“I think the thinking of many of our government agencies is regulatory. But the thinking, the mindset should be changed from regulation, which by the way is important as well, but to how to be an enabling agency,” Chua told reporters last week on the sidelines of a forum in Makati.

Chua said that what is important is to get the private sector’s help on how to simplify and standardize government requirements when it comes to doing business, adding that the current system is still burdensome despite the accomplishments of Arta.

“Another problem is that every municipality or barangay is a kingdom in itself. We have not standardized the requirements all over … [The requirements] should be standardized and simplified,” Chua said. INQ