THE SENATE COMMITTEE on Finance on Monday endorsed the P496-million proposed budget of the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) for 2026, allowing it to proceed to plenary deliberations.
“The budget of ARTA is now deemed submitted for the plenary’s consideration, subject to discussions and the submission of requested documents,” Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian, chairman of the committee, said.
The proposed allocation under the 2026 National Expenditure Program is 39.8% lower than ARTA’s original P825.5-million request.
ARTA Secretary Ernesto V. Perez told senators the agency is seeking an additional P32.5 million to bolster digitalization efforts, including manpower, information and communication technology systems and cloud infrastructure.
The agency earlier launched an artificial intelligence-powered platform designed to streamline complaints on inefficient or corrupt practices, featuring 24/7 accessibility, real-time tracking and automated case assignment.
At the hearing, Senator Erwin T. Tulfo raised concerns over ARTA’s limited enforcement power, citing continued noncompliance by government agencies and local government units (LGUs).
“We have to give more power to this agency because it seems like agencies, even LGUs, don’t take it seriously,” he said.
Mr. Perez urged lawmakers to amend the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act, which created ARTA, noting that they lack subpoena powers.
“We are not strictly a law enforcement agency,” he said. “We are proposing the amendment of the law to give us more power, more subpoena power, more investigative power, that whatever findings and recommendations we have, we can directly file them directly with the court or with the Sandiganbayan.”
The ARTA charter, passed in 2018, mandates faster government transactions and aims to reduce bureaucratic red tape. — Adrian H. Halili