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» PRESEN
as REGEIVED
ae

Republic of the Philippines OATE:
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Time
Queson City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

House Bit No6401

Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

With its 12” largest Population and the 43” largest economy in the world, the
Philippines ranked as the 2™ most favored destination for foreign direct investment
(FDI) in Southeast Asia and ranked 10" overall.' Reforms enacted this 2017
incrementally pushed the country’s Distance to Frontier (DTF) score up to 60.40%
from 2016's 59.53%. * However, the Philippine’s rank in Ease of Doing Business is
one of the lowest in the world at 171 (out of 185 economies) this 2017.

Reasons for such a low ranking are attributed to difficulties in starting a
business, getting electricity, registering properly, getting credit, resolving insolvency
and obtaining business permits. All are mired by a large number of procedural
regulations (a.k.a. red tape). In dealing with construction permits, which the
government has recently passed reforms, it still takes 24 procedures to build a basic
physical establishment compared to East Asia and the Pacific's average of 15
procedures. Worse, it takes 16 procedures and 28 days to start a business
compared to the region's average of 7 procedures and 23 days.*

Section 20, Article Il of the 1987 Constitution provides that, “The State
recognizes the indispensible role of the private sector, encourages private
enterprise, and provides incentives to needed investments.” Hence, the State has a
duty to provide a business environment conducive to creating and conducting
business in the country. It can accomplish this goal through reducing red tape by
simplifying business permit and licensing procedures, streamlining requirements in
both the national and local levels, and promoting transparency in government when
dealing with business registrations and other transactions with the public. It is with
these concerns that this bill is filled

This bill seeks to provide a simple, easy, straightforward, and trouble-free
business environment for entrepreneurs, micro, small and medium businesses and
ordinary citizens who like to venture into business by introducing business permitting

Plas, C. “PHL becoming more popular as FDI destination in Asean,” Business Miror, (8 June 2017), retrieved from
hito:/industry gov phiphi-becoming-popular-{di-destination-asean’

Doing Business (DB), “Ease of Doing Business in the Philippines,” World Bank Report, (2017) Retrieved from:
hitp./www doingbusiness.org/data/exploreeconomiesiphilippines#dealing-with-construction-permits
18, Ease of Dong Business


and licensing reforms, the institutionalizing of structures and strategies by
establishing a national policy on ease of doing business with the creation of the Ease
of Doing Business Commission and by providing for penalties and criminal liability for
violation thereof

In view of the foregoing, passage of this bill is earnestly sought.

Luis ID “LI " F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Queson City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL noe 401

Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.

AN ACT ESTABLISHING A NATIONAL POLICY ON EASE OF DOING
BUSINESS, CREATING FOR THE PURPOSE THE EASE OF DOING
BUSINESS COMMISSION, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
Philippines in Congress assembled:

ARTICLE!
BASIC PRINCIPLES AND POLICIES

SECTION 1. Short Title. — This law shall be known as the “Ease of Doing
Business Act of 2017”.

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. — The State recognizes the indispensable
role of the private sector, encourages private enterprise, and provides incentives
to needed investments. Pursuant thereto, it is hereby declared the policy of the
State to:

a) Provide a business environment that is conducive to the establishment
and operation of businesses in the country;

s

Simplify business permit and licensing system procedures and
‘streamline the requirements at the national and local levels;

2

Promote transparency in government with regard to business
registrations and other manner of transacting with the public to reduce
red tape and expedite permitting, licensing and other similar
transactions in government; and

s

Ensure timely and expeditious processing of business requirements by
the local government units or national government agencies.


SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. — For the purpose of this Act, the following
terms shall mean:

a) Applicant — any natural person or juridical entity set to engage or
engaged in business who is applying for a license, clearance or permit;

b)

Business Entity — any individual or juridical entity engaged in business
in the Philippines;

°)

Business One-Stop Shop (BOSS) ~ a single common site or location
designated for the Business Permit and Licensing System of a local
government unit (LGU) to receive and process applications, receive
payment and issue approved licenses, clearances or permits;

d) Business Permit — a document issued by the Office of the Local Chief
Executive of a city or municipality to a business entity allowing it to
legally operate in the locality within a prescribed period;

e)

Business Registration — a set of regulatory requirements that a start-up
or business entity must comply with to engage in business, such as but
not limited to, collection or preparation of a number of documentation,
submission to government authorities, approval of application
submitted, and receipt of a formal certificate or certificates, licenses,
clearances, permits and similar documents which confirm the eligibility
to operate as a legitimate business entity:

f) Central Business Portal — a dedicated business Web portal that allows
start-up and business entities to access a one-stop or single-entry
point to submit applications, business registration-related information
and obtain copies of approved licenses, clearances or permits;

9) Charges — a pecuniary liability, as rents or fees against persons or
property;

h)

Clearance — a document in a form of a certificate issued by a
government agency or instrumentality to a business entity, which is a
requisite for their business operations or transactions as required by
law;

i) Complex application — application which necessitates inter-agency
collaboration or multi-department involvement in the resolution of
complicated issues by a business licensing, regulatory or permitting
office as required by law;

j) Fee — a reasonable charge fixed by law or local ordinance for the
regulation or inspection of a business or activity;


k) License — a permit or document issued by national government
agencies and local government units necessary for starting and
pursuing a business such as but not limited to primary license and
secondary license;

) Primary license or primary franchise — an initial issuance, authority or
certification accorded by a government agency or instrumentality
conferring a right to a business entity to engage in business
transactions or activities as required by law;

m) Processing time — the time spent by an applicant from the submission
of an application with complete requirements, accompanying
documents and payment of fees to the receipt of a certification or such
similar documents approving or disapproving the application for a
license, clearance or permit;

n) Red tape — describes regulations and rules, administrative procedures
and systems that are ineffective or detrimental in achieving their
intended objectives and as a result produces slow, suboptimal and
undesired social outcomes;

0}

Regulation — any legal instrument that gives effect to a government
policy intervention and includes licensing, imposing information
obligation, compliance to standards or payment of any form of fee,
levy, charge or any other statutory and regulatory requirements
necessary to carry out any business activity;

p) Secondary license or permit — a certification, authority or accreditation
issued to a registered business entity which authorizes them to engage
in business activities as required by regulatory laws; and (DTI to
‘submit definition for Other Permits)

Simple application — application which only requires ministerial actions
‘on the part of the business licensing or permitting office, or that which
presents only inconsequential issues for resolution by the concerned
office

q

SECTION 4. Coverage. — Other laws notwithstanding, this Act shall apply to all
national government agencies or instrumentalities, and local government units
involved in the issuance of licenses, clearances or permits to business entities.


ARTICLE I
BUSINESS PERMITTING AND LICENSING REFORMS

SECTION 5. Requirements for License, Clearance and/or Permit
Application. - All national government agencies and local government units
issuing licenses, clearances or permit to business entities shall post a
comprehensive checklist of requirements for every type of license, clearance or
permit being issued. A uniform checklist of requirements required by licensing
and permitting offices issuing a similar license, clearance or permit shall be
established when applicable.

The checklist of requirements, step-by-step procedure and schedule of fees for
the issuance of a license, clearance or permit shall be conspicuously posted,
among others, in the premises of national and local government licensing and
permitting agencies and in the Business One Stop Shop or in areas designated
by cities and municipalities in accordance with the Citizens Charter of the
agencies concerned. The same information shall likewise be posted online in the
official website of national government agencies and local government units and
shall be linked to the Central Business Portal,

Business entities shall be limited to submitting only the requirements provided in
the checklist in the processing of an application

SECTION 6. Prescribed Processing time for License, Clearance or Permit
Applications. - National government agencies and local government units
involved in the processing and issuance of licenses, clearances or permits to
business entities shall process the application of business entities and
communicate the decision regarding approval or if the application has been
disapproved, along with comments or reasons for such disapproval, within the
prescribed processing time.

The prescribed processing time shalll in no case be longer than one (1) working
day at the Barangay level, three (3) working days for simple applications and
twenty (20) working days for complex applications from the time the application is
received.

For special type of businesses that require clearances, accreditation or licenses
issued by government agencies including regulatory agencies as provided for by
law where technical evaluation or such necessary condition is required in the
processing of licenses, clearances or permits, the prescribed processing time
shall in no case be longer than thirty (30) working days or as determined by the
government agency or instrumentality concerned, whichever is shorter.

A national government agency or instrumentality or local government unit shall
assign a unique identification number to an applicant that shall become the
identifying number for all subsequent business registration-related transactions


between the agency and the business entity. A reference number for each
business registration related transaction shall also be provided to the applicant to
track the status of an application, whether manually or electronically submitted.

SECTION 7. Automatic Approval of License, Clearance or Permit
Applications. - An application for a license, clearance or permit shall be
deemed approved upon failure or inaction of the concerned national government
agency or local government unit to process and issue the license, clearance or
permit after the prescribed processing time has lapsed without informing the
applicant of the error, omissions or additional documents required for
submission: Provided, That all required documents have been submitted and all
required fees and charges have been paid.

Provided, further, That in cases where the cause of delay is due to force
majeure or natural or man-made disaster which may result to damage or
destruction of documents, the prescribed processing time in the preceding
Section shall be suspended and appropriate adjustments shall be made:

Provided finally, That if the application for license, clearance or permit shall
require the approval of the Sangguniang Bayan in the case of a municipality,
Sangguniang Panlungsod in the case of a city or Sangguniang Panlalawigan in
the case of a province, and the respective Sanggunian has denied the
application, such case shall be exempt from the operation of Sections 6 and 7 of
this Act. In such case, the specific reason for the denial and appropriate remedial
measure available to the applicant shall be provided

SECTION 8. Extension of License, Clearance or Permit Applications. - The
prescribed processing time for license, clearance or permit applications may be
extended for a reasonable period when extraordinary due diligence in reviewing
the qualifications and merit of the application is required: Provided, That the
processing time shall only be extended once: Provided further, That the
concerned national government agency or local government unit shall inform the
applicant prior to the lapse of the prescribed processing time that an extension is
required in evaluating the application.

SECTION 9. Requirements for Business Permit Application. — A single or
unified business application form shall be used in processing new applications for
business permits and business renewals which consolidates all the information of
the applicant by various local government departments, such as but not limited to
the local taxes and clearances, building clearance, sanitary permit, zoning
clearance, and other specific local government unit requirements as the case
may be, including the fire clearance from the Bureau of Fire Protection

The unified form shall be made available online using technology-neutral
platforms such as but not limited to the Central Business Portal or the city or
municipality's website and various channels for dissemination


SECTION 10. Validity of Business Permit. - Business permits shall be valid for
a period of one (1) year. The city or municipality may have the option to renew
business permits within the first month of the year or on the anniversary date of
the issuance of the business permit.

SECTION 11. Computerized or Software-enabled Business Permit and
Licensing System. — Within a period of one (1) year upon the effectivity of this
Act, cities or municipalities shall, as far as practicable, automate their business
permitting and licensing system (BPLS) or set up an electronic-Business One
Stop Shop for a more efficient business registration

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) shall
make available to qualified local government units the software for the
computerization of the BPLS. The DICT, the Department of Interior and Local
Government (DILG) and the Department of Trade Industry (DTI) shall provide
technical assistance in the planning and implementation of a computerized or
software-enabled BPLS.

SECTION 12. Business One Stop Shop — A one-stop business facilitation
service, hereinafter referred to as the Business One Stop Shop (BOSS), shall be
established for the city or municipality's business permitting and licensing system
to receive and process manual or electronic submission of license, clearance or
permit applications.

Municipalities and cities without electronic mechanism for submission and
processing of permit, license and clearance applications shall set up a BOSS.
There shall be a queuing mechanism in the BOSS to better manage the flow of
applications among the local government units’ departments receiving and
processing applications, including the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP).
Cities and municipalities with online mechanism for submission and processing
of license, clearance or permit applications shall receive and process
applications electronically. Downloadable and unified application form,
comprehensive checklist of requirements, step-by-step procedures, and schedule
of fees shall be made available online in the cities or municipalities’ websites:

Provided, That to lessen the transaction requirements, other local clearances
such as but not limited to sanitary permits, environmental and agricultural
clearances shall be issued together with the business permit: Provided, further,
That cities or municipalities which use manual signatures shall designate
alternative signatories in the absence of the authorized approving authority:
Provided, finally, That cities or municipalities with e-BOSS shall develop
electronic versions of licenses, clearances or permits with the same level of
authority, which may be printed by businesses in the convenience of their offices.


SECTION 13. Streamlined Procedures for Securing Fire Safety Clearance. —
The following procedure shall be adopted for the issuance of the Fire Safety
Inspection Certificate (FSIC), to make business permitting more efficient:

a)

b)

°)

d)

e)

9)

h)

Issuance of Fire Safety Clearance shall in no case be longer than thirty
(30) working days;

For new business permit application, the FSIC already issued during
the Occupancy Permit stage shall be sufficient as basis for the
issuance of the FSIC for a business entity as a requirement for the
business permit;

For renewal of business permit, the BFP shall present the FSIC to the
city or municipality, either thru the copy of the FSIC or the
negative/positive list. Provided, That the business entity shall inform
the BFP and submit the necessary documentary requirements if
renovations, modifications or any form of alterations are made to the
original building structure thirty (30) days before the expiration of the
business permit:

If the BFP fails to furnish the city or municipality with the FSIC or
inform the same thru the negative/positive list, the business entity shall
be deemed to have a valid FSIC and therefore, the basis for the
renewal of the business permit;

The BFP or any of its officials or employees shall not sell, offer to sell,
recommend specific brands or distributors of fire extinguishers and
other fire safety equipment, or insist that supplier be in the same city or
municipality;

The BFP shall co-locate with the BOSS or in an appropriate area
designated by the city or municipality within its premises to assess and
collect the fire safety inspection fees;

The BFP may enter into agreements with cities/municipalities allowing
the latter to be deputized as assessors or collecting agents for the fire
safety inspection fees; and

The BFP may develop and adopt an online or electronic mechanism in
assessing fees, collecting/accepting payments and sharing or
exchange of other relevant data on business permit processing.

The pertinent provisions of Republic Act No. 9514, otherwise known as the
Revised Fire Code of the Philippines of 2008, are hereby amended accordingly.


SECTION 14. Central Business Portal. - To promote transparency and sustain
ease in doing business, the DICT shall establish, operate and maintain, through
the Government Infrastructure, a cloud-native Central Business Portal or other
similar technology as the DICT may prescribe, which shall serve as a central
system to receive application and capture application data from business entities.

The Central Business Portal shall securely connect government agencies, such
as but not limited to the DTI, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC),
the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA), regulatory agencies, and local
government units to receive base or common business applicant data or
information required for each agency to process applications, respectively, and
through which each respective agency shall securely generate and issue digitally
signed business license document.

SECTION 15. Philippine Business Registry Databank. - Business licensing or
permitting agencies such as but not limited to the DTI, SEC, CDA, BIR, and local
government units shall access the Philippine Business Registry Databank to
verify the validity, existence and other information relevant to a business entity.

The concerned national government agencies and all local government units
shall periodically submit to the system updates relative to the information
registered with them. The DICT, in consultation with the concerned agencies,
shall develop and manage the Philippine Business Registry Databank and
prescribe the data to be submitted by national government agencies and local
government units.

Submission of documents already provided by an applicant to an agency with
access to the Philippine Business Registry Databank shall no longer be required
by other agencies having similar access. The concerned agency shall
crosscheck and retrieve the required information or document in the Philippine
Business Registry Databank.

At the local government level, the City or Municipal BPLO shall not require the
same documents already provided by the applicant to the local government
departments in connection with other business-related license, clearance or
permits such as but not limited to tax clearance, occupancy permit and barangay
clearance.

SECTION 16. Regulatory Impact Assessment. - All existing and proposed
regulations of national government agencies and local government units shall
undergo annual regulatory impact assessment to establish if the proposed
regulation does not add undue regulatory burden and cost to business entities
and national and local government agencies.

The Ease of Doing Business Commission, created under this Act, in coordination
with other national government agencies and local government units, shall


continue the review and repeal of existing executive issuances, and recommend
the repeal of existing laws and local ordinances which are outdated, redundant,
and adds undue regulatory burden to business _ entities.

ARTICLE Ill
INSTITUTIONAL STRUCTURES AND STRATEGIES

SECTION 17. National Policy on Ease of Doing Business. - There is hereby
established a National Policy on Ease of Doing Business which shall refer to a
comprehensive business registration and regulatory management policy to
improve competitiveness and ease undue bureaucratic and regulatory burden to
business entities,

SECTION 18. Ease of Doing Business Commission. - Within sixty (60) days
after the effectivity of this Act, there is hereby created the Ease of Doing
Business Commission, herein referred to as the Commission, to ensure the
attainment of the objectives of this Act. The Commission shall be the policy-
making body on business registration and regulatory management and shall set
the overall direction for the implementation of the National Policy on Ease of
Doing Business.

The Commission shall be the lead agency in the implementation of this Act and it
shall be an attached agency to the Office of the President.

SECTION 19. Powers and Functions. - The Commission shall have the
following powers and functions

a) Plan, implement, and oversee a national policy on ease of doing
business;

b) Receive complaints, institute investigations for violations of this Act;

c) Assist complainants in filing necessary cases without prejudice to the
jurisdiction of the Civil Service Commission and the Ombudsman as
the case may be;

d)

Facilitate the issuance of licenses, clearances or permit deemed
approve by virtue of Section 7 of this Act;

e) Compel or petition any government agency, instrumentality or local
government to issue the permit, license or clearance of business
entities deemed approved by virtue of Section 7 of this Act;

f) Periodically review and assess the country's competitiveness
performance, challenges and issues;


g) Recommend policies, processes and systems to improve regulatory
management to increase the productivity, efficiency, and effectiveness
of permitting and licensing agencies;

h)

Conduct regulatory management training programs to capacitate
national government agencies and local government units to comply
with sound regulatory management practices;

Prepare regulatory management manuals for all government agencies
or instrumentalities and LGUs;

j) Provide technical assistance, advisory opinions in the review of
proposed national or local legislation, regulations or procedures;

k)

Ensure the dissemination of and public access to information on
regulatory management system and changes in laws and regulations
relevant to the public by establishing the Philippine Business
Regulations Information System;

!) Enlist the technical assistance of other national government agencies
in the implementation of the powers and function provided for in this
Act;

m) Propose legislation, amendments or modifications to Philippine laws
related to ease of doing business;

n) Monitor and review the implementation of this Act including compliance
of all concerned agencies and LGUs with the policies set herein;

0) Formulate and amend when necessary the Implementing Rules and
Regulations and the corresponding standards for good regulatory
discipline; and

p) Generally perform such acts ay may be necessary, to attain the
objectives of this Act.

SECTION 20. Composition of the Commission. - The Commission shall be
composed of a Chairperson, the Secretary of the DTI and the Secretary of the
Department of Finance (DOF) as ex-officio members, and one (1) private sector
representative each for the MSME sector and large industry sector.

The private sector representatives, who shall be appointed by the President,
shall be citizens and residents of the Philippines, of good moral character, of
recognized probity and independence and must have distinguished themselves
in the business sector they represent.


The ex-officio members of the Commission may designate their respective
alternates in a permanent capacity who shall be at least an Undersecretary in
rank and their acts shall be considered the acts of their principals.

SECTION 21. Term of Office. — The term of the Chairperson and the two (2)
private sector representatives shall be three (3) years and may be reappointed
once.

SECTION 22. Chairperson of the Commission. - The Chairperson of the
Commission who shall be appointed by the President of the Philippines shall be
the head of the agency with the rank of a cabinet secretary. The Chairperson
shall be a citizen and resident of the Philippines, of good moral character, of
recognized probity and independence and must have distinguished himself
professionally in the fields of commerce, domestic and international trade,
management and other economic disciplines. He shall preside over the meetings
of the Commission. He shall be the appointing authority of the employees and
other officials of the Commission as provided for in existing laws, rules and
regulations.

SECTION 23. Secretariat of the Commission. — The Commission shall
establish a Secretariat to assist them in the implementation of this Act and in the
performance of their duties.

The Commission shall establish an organizational structure including regional
offices, as may be required to effectively carry out its powers and functions. The
staffing pattern and compensation schedule of the Commission shall be drawn
up in accordance with existing laws, rules and regulations.

SECTION 24, Executive Director. - The Secretariat of the Commission shall be
headed by an Executive Director who shall be appointed by the Commission
from the list of nominees submitted by the Commission. He shall serve for a term
of three (3) years, and may be reappointed once. The Executive Director shall be
a citizen and resident of the Philippines and must possess executive and
management experience of at least three (3) years and with considerable
exposure in the fields of commerce, domestic and international trade, and other
economic disciplines.

ARTICLE IV
PROHIBITED ACTS AND PENALTIES

SECTION 25. Prohibited Acts. - The following shall constitute a violation of this
Act:


1. Refusal to accept application within the prescribed period or any
document being submitted by the applicant, Provided that all required
documents have been submitted and the necessary fees have been
paid;

2. Failure to refer back to the applicant an application which, cannot be
acted upon due to lack or incomplete requirements or non-payment of
required fees and/or charges within the prescribed period;

3. Failure to act on an application despite the complete submission of
requirements and payment of required fees or charges within the
prescribed period;

4. Failure to give the applicant a written notice on the disapproval of an
application within the prescribed period or inform the applicant of any
error, omission or deficiency in the application;

5. Imposition of additional irrelevant requirements other than those
provided by the concerned agency or local government unit.

SECTION 26. Penalty. —- Penalties for the violations of the preceding section
shall be as follows:

1. First offense — Thirty (30) days suspension without pay;
2. Second Offense — Three (3) months suspension without pay; and

3. Third Offense — Dismissal and perpetual disqualification to hold public
Office, cancellation of Civil Service eligibility, forfeiture of retirement
benefits and one (1) to six (6) years imprisonment.

Criminal liability will also attach once the violation was done deliberately and
maliciously with the purpose of harassing the applicant and/or to solicit favor in
cash or in kind. In such case, the provisions of the Revised Penal Code shall
apply and such other applicable penal laws.

SECTION 27. Liability. - The head of office or agency or supervising officer
designated to be the authorized or final signatory to the issuance of a license,
permit or clearance shall be held liable and accountable in the implementation of
this Act.

SECTION 28. Jurisdiction. — The administrative jurisdiction on any violation of
the provisions of this Act shall be vested either in the Civil Service Commission
(CSC) and the Office of the Ombudsman whereas the criminal jurisdiction shall
be vested with the appropriate courts as specified under applicable laws.


ARTICLE V
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

SECTION 29. Congressional Oversight Committee. - To oversee
implementation of this Act, there shall be created a Congressional Oversight
Committee on Ease of Doing Business (COC-EDB), to be composed of five (5)
members from the Senate, which shall include the Chairpersons of the Senate
Committees on Trade and Commerce and Entrepreneurship, Civil Service
Government Reorganization and Professional Regulation, and Economic Affairs;
and five (5) members from the House of Representatives which shall include the
Chairpersons of the House Committees on Trade and Industry, Civil Service
Government Reorganization and Professional Regulation, and Economic Affairs.

The COC-EDB shall be jointly chaired by the Chairpersons of the Senate
Committee on Trade and Commerce and Entrepreneurship and the House of
Representatives Committee on Trade and Industry

The COC-EDB shall cease to exist five (5) years after its organization. Its
functions, duties and responsibilities together with all of its records, shall be
transferred to the Commission: Provided, That the Commission shall periodically
submit reports on the implementation of this Act to Congress through the Senate
Committee on Trade and Commerce and Entrepreneurship and the House
Committee on Trade and Industry

The Secretariat of the COC-EDB shall be drawn from the existing personnel of
the Senate and House of Representatives committees comprising the COC-EDB.

SECTION 30. Appropriations. — The amount of Twenty Million Pesos
(P20,000,000) as initial funding for the Commission is hereby appropriated to be
charged against the unexpended Contingency Funds of the Office of the
President. Thereafter, the amount necessary for the operation and maintenance
of the Commission shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act

SECTION 31. Transitory Provision. — All business regulatory management
programs and business-related anti-red tape initiatives across government
agencies shall be rationalized and the management thereof shall be transferred
to the Commission. The DTI, the National Competitiveness Council (NCC), the
DOF, the Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP), and the National
Economic Development Authority (NEDA) shall submit to the Commission a
report of the status of their respective projects related to business regulatory
management.

The Commission, in consultation with the Competitiveness Bureau of the DTI,
shall determine the composition of the temporary Secretariat of the Commission.
The teams or units involved in regulatory improvement or ease of doing


business-related programs of the DTI-Competitiveness Bureau shall serve as
temporary Secretariat of the Commission until such time that its organizational
structure is determined: Provided, That the DTI-Competitiveness Bureau shall
serve as Secretariat to the Commission for no longer than six (6) months upon
the effectivity of this Act

SECTION 32. Transition from Manual to Software-Enabled Business
Registration. — Within one (1) year after the effectivity of this Act, the DICT, in
coordination with the members of the Commission, local government units and
other concerned agencies shall, develop the necessary software and technology-
neutral platforms and secured infrastructure for the implementation of this Act.

SECTION 33. Implementing Rules and Regulations. ~ Within ninety (90) days
after the effectivity of this Act the Commission, in consultation with concerned
government agencies, private sector, and other stakeholders, shall issue the
implementing rules and regulations of this Act.

SECTION 34. Separability Clause. — |f any part or provision of this Act is
declared as unconstitutional or invalid, the other provisions which are not
affected shalll continue to be in full force and effect.

SECTION 35. Repealing Clause. - All laws, executive orders, decrees, rules
and regulations, or any part thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act
are hereby deemed repealed, amended or modified accordingly.

SECTION 36. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
complete publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation

Approved,