To support the efforts of the government in building its capability to ensure a quick, responsive, and citizen-centric service, the public and private sector have come together to launch “Project PinasBilis: ‘Serbisyong publiko, pinabilis’”, an initiative that will strengthen the objectives outlined in the Republic Act 11032 or the Ease of Doing Business Act (EODB) and the Anti-Red Tape Act of 2007.
In a ceremony held on May 31, 2022, the Aboitiz Group through Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Inc. (AEV) and Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. (AFI), together with the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) that would put in motion a program that aims to streamline the government processes and aid in the establishment of infrastructure to transform the country into a conducive environment for businesses to thrive.
“We just entered a significant milestone that signals the official beginning of ‘PinasBilis’ and highlights our shared commitment to helping national government agencies and local government units to deliver quick, responsive, and citizen-centric government service. We in Aboitiz are thankful to be given this opportunity,” AEV First Vice President for Corporate External Relations Christopher Camba said.
Through this partnership, Aboitiz and ARTA will provide the needed digital tools and infrastructure to select government offices, as well as facilitate the necessary training to capacitate the employees from the respective agencies to ensure the continuity and sustainability of the program.
“Reducing red tape and expediting public service transactions involve undoing decades of outdated policies in the bureaucracy. These are roadblocks to productivity and profitability for our investors, whether they are MSMEs trying to find their place in the sun or large conglomerates trying to better their position,” AEV Chief External Affairs Officer DJ Sta. Ana, representing Aboitiz Group President and CEO Sabin Aboitiz, said.
“With Project PinasBilis, we are combining our capabilities to strengthen the EODB Act further, which will certainly allow us to move many needles. But it cannot happen in an instant. Streamlining and simplifying the entire process of setting up a business in our country takes a lot of effort from all involved. Much work needs to be done and you can count on us to support as much as we can,” he added.
Moreover, AFI President and COO Maribeth Marasigan detailed the salient features of the partnership namely, (1) ‘PinasBilis’ will provide capacity-building programs for select government employees and (2) the program shall identify national and local government units which are in need of digital tools and hardware with corresponding training of the frontline personnel — all at no cost to the government and will be wholly funded by AFI through a PHP3.7 million grant and the donation of PHP1.3 million worth of hardware.
From left to right: ARTA Chief of Staff and Deputy Director General for Administration, Finance, and Special Programs Usec. Carlos Quita, ARTA Officer-In-Charge Usec. Ernesto Perez, Office of the Presidential Adviser on Streamlining of Government Processes Usec. Gloria Jumamil – Mercado, ARTA Director General Sec. Jeremiah Belgica, Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (AFI) President and COO Maribeth Marasigan, Aboitiz Equity Ventures (AEV) Chief External Affairs Officer DJ Sta Ana and AEV First Vice President for Corporate External Relations Christopher Camba.
Aboitiz and ARTA will establish their respective project management teams (PMT) tasked to monitor the implementation of ‘PinasBilis,’ as well as provide the necessary staff support to include coordination with the pertinent agencies and ensure the judicious management of funds under the supervision of AFI. Its creation, according to Marasigan, gives the MOA some flexibility in the selection of participants in the series of capacity-building programs and to meet the contingencies in the project implementation.
In overseeing its implementation, Aboitiz’s PMT will consist of AEV Corporate External Relations Manager Fatima Mateo as the Project Lead, along with Ceazar Ryan Aquino, and Marc Alejo.
“This Memorandum of Agreement is a culmination of a number of successful coordination meetings of the ARTA and the Aboitiz Group. We are grateful to Aboitiz Group for dedicatedly working with our team in the ARTA. After our several sharing sessions from 2021, we are confident that the ‘PinasBIlis’ project will meet its goal to help us in streamlining and digitizing our services, especially in the national government agencies and local government units,” ARTA Officer-In-Charge USec Ernesto V. Perez said.
Established in 2018, ARTA or the Anti-Red Tape Authority is an attached agency of the Office of the President mandated to implement and oversee a national policy on anti-red tape and enact the EODB Act.
