THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
Third Regular Session 
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S.B. NO. 
2589 
Prepared by the Committees 
on Civil Service and Government 
Reorganization and Public Information and Mass Media, with Senators Flavier, 
Angara, Pimentel, Jr., and Lacson as authors thereof. 
“AN ACT 
TO IMPROVE EFFICIENCY IN THE DELIVERY OF GOVERNMENT SERVICE 
TO THE PUBLIC BY REDUCING BUREAUCRATIC RED TAPE, 
PREVENTING GRAFT AND CORRUPTION, AND 
PROVIDING PENALTIES THEREFOR” 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1, Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Anti-Red Tape 
Act of 2007.” 
SEC. 2. 
Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared policy of the 
State to promote integrity, accountability, proper management of public affairs and 
public property as well as to establish effective practices aimed at the prevention 
of graft and corruption in government. Towards this end, the State shall maintain 
honesty and responsibility among its public officials and employees, and shall take 
appropriate measures to promote transparency in each agency with regard to the 
manner of transacting with the public, which shall encompass a program for the 
adoption of simplified procedures that will reduce red tape and expedite 
transactions in government. 
SEC. 3. Coverage. - 
This Act shall apply to all government offices 
and agencies including local government units and government-owned or 
controlled corporations that provide frontline services as defined in this Act. Those 
performing judicial, quasi-judicial and legislative functions are excluded from the 
coverage of this Act. 


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SEC. 4. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act, the following terms are 
defined as follows: 
”Simple transactions’’ refer to requests or applications submitted by 
clients of a government office or agency which only require 
ministerial actions on the part of the public officer or employee, or 
that which present only inconsequential issues for the resolution by 
an officer or employee of said government ofice. 
“Complex transactions” refer to requests or applications submitted 
by clients of a government office which necessitate the use of 
discretion in the resolution of complicated issues by an officer or 
employee of said government office, such transaction to be 
determined by the office concerned. 
“Fronfline service” refers to the process or transaction between 
clients and government offices or agencies involving applications for 
any privilege, right, permit, reward, license, concession, or for any 
modification, renewal or extension of the enumerated applications 
andlor requests which are acted upon in the ordinary course of 
business of the agency or office concerned. 
“Action” refers to the written approval or disapproval made by a 
government office or agency on the application or request submitted 
by a client for processing. 
“Omcer or employee” refers to a person employed in a government 
office or agency 
required to perform specific duties and 
responsibilities related to the application or request submitted by a 
client for processing. 
“Irrelevant requirements” refer to any document or performance of 
an act not directly material to the resolution of the issues raised in 
the request or needed in the application submitted by the client. 


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(g) 
“Fixer” refers to any individual whether or not officially involved in the 
operation of a government office or agency who has access to 
people working therein, and whether or not in collusion with them, 
facilitates speedy completion of transactions for pecuniary gain or 
any other advantage or consideration. 
SEC. 5. Re-engineering of Systems and Procedures. - All offices and 
agencies which provide frontline services are hereby mandated to regularly 
undertake time and motion studies, undergo evaluation and improvement of their 
transaction systems and procedures and re-engineer the same if deemed 
necessary to reduce bureaucratic red tape and processing time. 
SEC. 6. Citizen’s Charter. - All government agencies including 
departments, bureaus, offices, instrumentalities, or government-owned andlor 
controlled corporations, or local government or district units shall set up their 
respective service standards to be known as the Citizen’s Charter in the form of 
information billboards which should be posted at the main entrance of offices or at 
the most conspicuous place, and in the form of published materials written either 
in English, Filipino, or in the local dialect, that detail: 
(a) 
(b) 
(c) 
(d) 
(e) 
(f) 
SEC. 7. 
The procedure to obtain a particular service; 
The personls responsible for each step; 
The maximum time to conclude the process; 
The document Is to be presented by the customer, if necessary; 
The amount of fees, if necessary; and 
The procedure for filing complaints. 
,
I
 
, I  
Accountability of the Heads of Offices and Agencies. The 
head of the office or agency shall be primarily responsible for the implementation 
of this Act and shall be held accountable to the public in rendering fast, efficient, 
convenient and reliable service. All transactions and processes are deemed to 
have been made with the permission or clearance from the highest authority 
having jurisdiction over the government office or agency concerned. 


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SEC. 8. 
Accessing Frontline Services. - The following shall be 
adopted by all government off ices and agencies: 
(a) Acceptance of Applications and Requests - (1) All 
officers 
or 
employees shall accept written applications, requests, and /or documents 
being submitted by clients of the office or agency. 
(2) 
The responsible officer or employee shall acknowledge 
receipt of such application and/or request by writing or printing 
clearly thereon hislher name, the unit where helshe is 
connected with, and the time and date of receipt. 
The receiving officer or employee shall perform a preliminary 
assessment of the request so as to promote a more 
expeditious action on requests. 
(3) 
(b) Action of Offices 
(1) All applications and/or requests submitted shall be acted upon 
by the assigned officer or employee during the period stated 
in the Citizen's Charter which shall not be longer than five 
working days in the case of simple transactions and ten (IO) 
working days in the case of complex transactions from the 
date the request or application was received. Depending on 
the nature of the frontline services requested or the mandate 
of the office or agency under unusual circumstances, the 
maximum time prescribed above may be extended. For the 
extension due to nature of frontline services or the mandate of 
the office or agency concerned the period for the delivery of 
frontline services shall be indicated in the Citizen's Charter. 
The office or agency concerned shall notify the requesting 
party in writing of the reason for the extension and the final 
date of release for the extension and the final date of release 
of the frontline servicels requested. 


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(2) No application or request shall be returned to the client 
without appropriate action. In case an application or request 
is disapproved, the officer or employee who rendered the 
decision shall send a formal notice to the client within five (5) 
working days from the receipt of the request and/ or 
application, stating therein the reason for the disapproval 
including a list of specific requirementls which the client failed 
to submit. 
(c) 
Denial of Request for Access to Government Service - Any denial of 
request for access to government service shall be fully explained in 
writing, stating the name of the person making the denial and the 
grounds upon which such denial is based. Any denial of request is 
deemed to have been made with the permission or clearance from 
the highest authority having jurisdiction over the government office or 
agency concerned. 
(d) 
Limitation of Signatories - The number of signatories in any 
document shall be limited to a maximum of five signatures which 
shall represent officers directly supervising the office or agency 
concerned. 
Adoption of Working Schedules to Serve Clients - Heads of offices 
and agencies which render frontline services shall adopt appropriate 
working schedules to ensure that all clients who are within their 
premises prior to the end of official working hours are attended to 
and served even during lunch break and after regular working hours. 
Identification Card - All employees transacting with the public 'shall 
be provided with an official identification card which should be visibly 
worn during office hours. 
(e) 
(f) 


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(9) 
Establishment of Public Assistanc6/Comp~aints Desk - Each office 
or agency shall establish a public assistancekomplaints desk in all 
their offices. 
SEC. 9. 
Automatic Extension of Permits and Licenses. - If a 
government office or agency fails to act on an application andl or request for 
renewal of a license, permit or authority subject for renewal within the prescribed 
period said permit, license or authority shall automatically be extended until a 
decision or resolution is rendered on the application for renewal: Provided, That 
the automatic extension shall not apply when the permit, license, or authority 
covers activities which pose danger to public health, public safety, public morals or 
to public policy including but not limited to natural resource extraction activities. 
SEC.10. 
Report Card Survey. - All offices and agencies providing 
frontline services shall be subjected to a Report Card Survey to be initiated by the 
Civil Service Commission, in coordination with the Development Academy of the 
Philippines, which shall be used to obtain feedback on how provisions in the 
Citizen’s Charter are being followed and how the agency is performing. 
The Report Card Survey shall also be used to obtain information andl or 
estimates of hidden costs incurred by clients to access frontline services which 
may include, but is not limited to, bribes and payment to fixers. 
A feedback mechanism shall be established in all agencies covered by this 
Act and the results thereof shall be incorporated in their annual report. 
SEC. 11. Violations. - After compliance with the substantive and 
procedural due process, the following shall constitute violations of this Act together 
with their corresponding penalties: 
(a) 
Light Offense - (1) Refusal to accept application and/ or request 
within the prescribed period or any document being submitted by a client; 
(2) Failure to act on an application andl or request or failure to refer 
back to the client a request which cannot be acted upon due to lack of 
requiremenffs within the prescribed period; 


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break; 
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(3) 
Failure to attend to clients who are within the premises of the office 
or agency concerned prior to the end of official working hours and during lunch 
(4) 
Failure to render frontline services within the prescribed period on 
any application and I or request without due cause; 
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(5) Failure to give the client a written notice on the disapproval of an 
application or request; 
(6) Imposition of additional irrelevant requirements other than those 
listed in the first notice. 
(a) Penalties for light offense shall be as follows; 
First Offense - 
Thirty (30) days suspension without pay and 
mandatory attendance in Values Orientation Program 
Second Offense - Three (3) months suspension without pay; and 
Third Offense -Dismissal and perpetual disqualification from public 
service 
(b) Grave Offense - Fixing and/or collusion with fixers in consideration of 
economic andl or other gain or advantage. 
Penalty - Dismissal and perpetual disqualification from public 
service. 
SEC. 12. 
Criminal Liability for Fixers - In addition to Sec. 11 (b), 
fixers, as defined in this Act, shall suffer the penalty of imprisonment not 
exceeding six years or a fine not less than Twenty Thousand Pesos (P20,OOO.OO) 
but not more than Two Hundred Thousand Pesos (P200,OOO.OO) or both fine and 
imprisonment at the discretion of the court. 
Sec. 13. 
Civil and Criminal Liability, Not Barred. - The finding of 
administrative liability under this Act shall not be a bar to the filing of criminal, civil 
or other related charges under existing laws arising from the same act or omission 
as herein enumerated. 


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SEC.14. 
Administrative Jurisdiction. - The administrative jurisdiction 
on any violation of the provisions of this Act shall be vested in either the Civil 
Service Commission (CSC), Presidential Anti-Graft Commission (PAGC) or the 
Office of the Ombudsman as determined by appropriate laws and issuances. 
SEC. 15. 
Immunity; Discharge of Co-RespondentlAccused to be a 
Witness. -Any public official or employee or any person having been charged with 
another under this Act and who voluntarily gives information pertaining to an 
investigation or who willingly testifies therefore, shall be exempt from prosecution 
in the case/s where hidher information and testimony are given. The discharge 
may be granted and directed by the investigating body or. court upon the 
application or petition of any of the respondenffaccused-informant and before the 
termination of the investigation: Provided, That: 
There 
is 
absolute 
necessity for 
the 
testimony 
of 
the 
respondenffaccused-informant whose discharge is requested; 
There is no other direct evidence available for the proper prosecution 
of the offense committed, except the testimony of 
said 
respondentlaccused-informant; 
The testimony of said respondenffaccused-informant can be 
substantially corroborated in its material points; 
The 
respondenffaccused-informant has not been previously 
convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude; and, 
Said respondenffaccused-informant does not appear to be the most 
guilty. 
Evidence adduced in support of the discharge shall automatically form 'part 
of the records of the investigation. Should the investigating body or court deny the 
motion or request for discharge as a witness, hidher sworn statement shall be 
inadmissible as evidence. 
SEC. 16. 
Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Civil Service 
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Commission in coordination with the Development Academy of the Philippines 


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(DAP), the Office of the Ombudsman and the Presidential Anti-Graft Commission 
(PAGC), shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations within ninety (90) 
days from the effectivity of this Act. 
SEC. 17. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act shall be 
declared invalid or unconstitutional, such declaration shall not affect the validity of 
the remaining provisions of this Act. 
SEC. 18. 
Repealing Clause. - All provisions of laws, presidential 
decrees, letters of instruction and other presidential issuances which are 
incompatible or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby deemed 
amended or repealed. 
SEC. 19. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect within fifteen (15) days 
following its publication in the Official Gazeffe or in two (2) national newspapers of 
general circulation. 
Approved.