
ARTA recognizes partner agencies during EODB month culminating activity
The Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) shone a spotlight on agencies and private corporations that went above and beyond in supporting and advancing its initiatives during the first-ever Ease of Doing Business (EODB) Month, celebrated in May 2025.
EODB Month was officially established through Proclamation No. 818, signed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., designating May of each year as EODB Month. This proclamation underscores the government's commitment to enhancing public service delivery and fostering a more business-friendly environment—key pillars of a red tape-free Bagong Pilipinas. Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) Secretary Ernesto V. Perez
As the lead agency spearheading regulatory reform and business environment improvements, ARTA organized a dynamic lineup of month-long activities to raise public awareness and drive engagement across various sectors. Among the key initiatives were:
– ARTA Poster Making Contest and Story/Reels Contest – Grand EODB Fairs across different regions – ARTAkbo: Run for Better Business Movement – Launch of the Philippine EODB Reform Guidebook – Philippine Good Regulatory Principles (PGRP) Summit – Palace Press Briefing featuring Undersecretary and Press Officer Claire Castro
– ARTA's 7th Anniversary Celebration
These events drew strong participation from both government and private sector partners, exemplifying a whole-of-government approach to improving the country's business climate.
During the culminating activity on 18 June 2025 at the ARTA Innovation Hub, UP Ayala Technohub, Quezon City, the Authority recognized the outstanding contributions of agencies, local government units (LGUs), and state universities and colleges (SUCs) that actively supported the EODB Month celebration. Winners of the ARTA Poster Making and Story/Reels Contests were also awarded.
Among the standout participants were representatives from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Philippine Air Force Headquarters Air Mobility Command Team, Southern Isabela Medical Center, and Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP), among others.
In appreciation of their support and achievements, awardees received certificates and cash prizes sponsored by Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc. (AEV), PhilTower Consortium, and Globe Telecom Inc.
More than just a celebration, the inaugural EODB Month served as a unifying platform that reflects a shared national vision: a red tape-free Philippines that attracts investment and delivers world-class public service to all.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Filipino Times
7 hours ago
- Filipino Times
ARTA recognizes partner agencies during EODB month culminating activity
The Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) shone a spotlight on agencies and private corporations that went above and beyond in supporting and advancing its initiatives during the first-ever Ease of Doing Business (EODB) Month, celebrated in May 2025. EODB Month was officially established through Proclamation No. 818, signed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., designating May of each year as EODB Month. This proclamation underscores the government's commitment to enhancing public service delivery and fostering a more business-friendly environment—key pillars of a red tape-free Bagong Pilipinas. Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) Secretary Ernesto V. Perez As the lead agency spearheading regulatory reform and business environment improvements, ARTA organized a dynamic lineup of month-long activities to raise public awareness and drive engagement across various sectors. Among the key initiatives were: – ARTA Poster Making Contest and Story/Reels Contest – Grand EODB Fairs across different regions – ARTAkbo: Run for Better Business Movement – Launch of the Philippine EODB Reform Guidebook – Philippine Good Regulatory Principles (PGRP) Summit – Palace Press Briefing featuring Undersecretary and Press Officer Claire Castro – ARTA's 7th Anniversary Celebration These events drew strong participation from both government and private sector partners, exemplifying a whole-of-government approach to improving the country's business climate. During the culminating activity on 18 June 2025 at the ARTA Innovation Hub, UP Ayala Technohub, Quezon City, the Authority recognized the outstanding contributions of agencies, local government units (LGUs), and state universities and colleges (SUCs) that actively supported the EODB Month celebration. Winners of the ARTA Poster Making and Story/Reels Contests were also awarded. Among the standout participants were representatives from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Philippine Air Force Headquarters Air Mobility Command Team, Southern Isabela Medical Center, and Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP), among others. In appreciation of their support and achievements, awardees received certificates and cash prizes sponsored by Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc. (AEV), PhilTower Consortium, and Globe Telecom Inc. More than just a celebration, the inaugural EODB Month served as a unifying platform that reflects a shared national vision: a red tape-free Philippines that attracts investment and delivers world-class public service to all.


Filipino Times
7 hours ago
- Filipino Times
ARTA launches joint memorandum circular to streamline permitting for water and wastewater projects
In a significant move toward improving access to safe and sustainable water services, the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA), in collaboration with key government agencies and private sector stakeholders, officially launched the Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) on Streamlining of the Permitting Process for the Construction, Installation, Restoration, Rehabilitation, Repair, and Maintenance of Water Supply and Wastewater Systems Along National, Local, and Private Roads. The launch was held at the ARTA Innovation Hub, UP Ayala TechnoHub in Quezon City. Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) Secretary Ernesto V. Perez This milestone marks the culmination of a year-long, multi-stakeholder reform initiative aimed at eliminating long-standing bottlenecks in the permitting process for water infrastructure. The JMC institutionalizes a harmonized, transparent, and efficient permitting framework across the country, paving the way for the accelerated implementation of water infrastructure projects. 'Access to clean water is a fundamental right and a public good. Through this JMC, we are eliminating bottlenecks, aligning policies, and driving reforms that will directly benefit our communities and kababayans in a Bagong Pilipinas,' said ARTA Secretary Ernesto V. Perez. Aligned with the government's commitment to United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), the JMC was developed through extensive consultations with national agencies, local government units (LGUs), private water providers, and other key stakeholders. It addresses issues such as fragmented permitting workflows, redundant requirements, high regulatory costs, and inconsistent local practices. Key features of the JMC include; Integration of barangay clearances into city/municipal-level processes; Standardized processing timelines aligned with Republic Act No. 11032 (Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018); Clear delineation of permitting authority based on road classification (national, local, private); Implementation of a unified excavation clearance system Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines, His Excellency Ilan Fluss, also expressed support for the initiative, highlighting shared experiences between the Philippines and Israel in managing water resources. 'Congratulations to you, Secretary Perez, to your team, and to all the agencies involved in this memorandum. This milestone reflects the strong collaboration among your institutions, as well as the enduring friendship between Israel and the Philippines,' said Ambassador Fluss. The launch was attended by officials from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA), and the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS), along with representatives from various LGUs and private entities. Private sector players such as Maynilad Water Services, Manila Water, and the Philippine Association of Water Districts (PAWD) were also present to express support for the JMC. Full implementation of the JMC will proceed following the formal signing by all concerned agencies. The implementation will be chaired by DPWH and co-chaired by DENR, who will oversee rollout efforts, compliance monitoring, and stakeholder coordination. This reform is a flagship initiative under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s Bagong Pilipinas campaign, reaffirming the government's commitment to streamlining public services and improving the quality of life for all Filipinos.


Gulf Today
a day ago
- Gulf Today
Orban's anti-Ukraine campaign targets political rival
As Hungary heads toward national elections next spring and the populist government's popularity slumps, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has zeroed in on a central theme he hopes will sway voters: an alleged threat posed by neighboring Ukraine. While most European Union countries have offered political, financial, and military support to Kyiv since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, Hungary under Orbán has charted a starkly different course — refusing to supply Ukraine with weapons or allow their transit through Hungarian territory, demanding sanctions relief and rapprochement with Russia, and adopting a combative stance toward both Kyiv and its EU backers. With his ruling Fidesz party slipping in the polls and a new opposition force gaining momentum, Orbán has escalated a sweeping anti-Ukraine campaign — presenting the upcoming election as a referendum on peace or war. Going further, he has accused his leading political opponent of entering into a treasonous pact with Kyiv to overthrow his government and install a pro-Western, pro-Ukraine administration. Some of his ideas mirror the growing anti-Ukraine messaging coming from right-wing populists in the West, including from President Donald Trump. 'Let's be under no illusions: Brussels and Ukraine are jointly building up a puppet government (in Hungary),' Orbán said on June 6 in comments to state radio. 'They want to change Hungary's policy toward Ukraine after the next elections, or even sooner.' At the heart of Orbán's claims is Ukraine's ambition to join the EU, something Kyiv believes would place it firmly within the embrace of the West and provide a measure of security against potential Russian attacks in the future. While Orbán was a firm supporter of Ukraine's eventual EU accession shortly after Russia launched its full-scale invasion, he now argues that its membership — which will likely take many years — would flood Hungary with crime, cheap labor, and low-quality agricultural products, threatening national sovereignty and economic stability. He has also spuriously claimed that Brussels and Kyiv intend to force Hungarians to fight Russia on the front lines. On Monday, Orbán posted a video to his social media page depicting animated, artificial intelligence-generated scenes of bloodied, machine-gun wielding Hungarian soldiers engaged in armed conflict, and rows of caskets lined beneath Hungarian flags. 'We don't want our children, in the form of the Hungarian army, to be deployed to the Ukrainian front lines or to Ukrainian territory and to come back in coffins,' he said in the video. Central to Orbán's life-or-death narrative of the Hungarian election is his growing campaign against his main political rival, Péter Magyar, a former Fidesz insider whose new Tisza party has surged in popularity. Once married to Hungary's former justice minister, Magyar has become the most formidable challenger to Orbán's rule since the EU's longest-serving leader took office in 2010. With Tisza leading Fidesz in most independent polls, some analysts and domestic critics believe Orbán may be laying the groundwork to discredit or even disqualify Magyar ahead of the 2026 election. Péter Krekó, director of the Budapest-based Political Capital think tank, said Orbán's attempt to link Magyar and Tisza to the image of a dangerous Ukraine is aimed at neutralizing his domestic opposition as popular sentiment appears to be turning against him. 'There is an ongoing campaign against any critical voices in Hungary saying that they are agents of Ukraine, and this can be used also against the Tisza party,' he said. 'If you can't win back public opinion anymore, then you can try to use a more authoritarian toolkit.'