The Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) led the signing of a joint memorandum circular (JMC) that is seen to expedite the processing of construction-related permits.
The JMC, titled “Guidelines in the Processing of Construction-Related Permits,” aims to set service standards in processing construction-related permits such as building permits, certificate of occupancy, and other permits issued by local government units.
It amended JMC 2018-10 by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to cover simple, complex, and highly technical transactions.
“Indeed, as we now see, that what makes a great project for the people great is not only measured by the grandeur of the plan and its execution but also the speed by which it is achieved. But let me also say that we do not only need to have a quick infrastructure building system but more so we need a quicker infrastructure rebuilding process. This is especially so for a tropical country like ours which is constantly bombarded by challenges given by nature,” said ARTA during the launch.
Under the newly signed JMC, an oversight committee on Construction Permit Reforms (OC-CPR) will be formed, as adopted from JMC 2018-10.
Construction-related applications for building permits and certificates of occupancy will also be classified into simple, complex, and highly technical. This means that the processing time for simple transactions will be reduced from 5 to 3 days. There will also be a set processing time of 7 days for complex transactions and 20 days for highly technical transactions in alignment with Republic Act No. 11032 or the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018.
The issuance will also lessen the steps in securing construction-related permits from four to three steps and remove the notarization requirements of application forms.
All cities and municipalities will also be enjoined to set up both physical and electronic versions of the one-stop-shop for construction permits.
The JMC was drafted by the Technical Working Group/Committee for Construction Permitting, headed by ARTA, and formed under the National Effort for the Harmonization of Efficient Measures of Inter-related Agencies (NEHEMIA) program with the assistance of the University of the Philippines Public Administration Research and Extension Services Foundation, Inc.-Regulatory Support Program for National Development (UPPAF-RESPOND) and World Bank Group development partners.
The NEHEMIA Program is a sectoral-based streamlining effort that is aimed at reducing the time, cost, requirements, and procedures in sectors of economic and social significance by 52 percent within 52 weeks.