REPUBLIC Act 9485, also known as the Anti-Red Tape Act (ARTA) of 2007, was enacted to “improve the efficiency in the delivery of government service to the public by reducing bureaucratic red tape, preventing graft and corruption, and providing penalties therefore….” Eight years after, the Civil Service Commission (CSC)—the agency tasked to ensure the proper implementation of and monitor compliance to this law—has gone a long way in carrying out its task.
The concept of “red tape” is used today as a noun to describe excessive and complicated regulations in the bureaucracy. The concept connotes complex and time-consuming processes required to get government approval for something. The exact origins of the term “red tape” is not clear but there are stories that, during the 16th century, the Holy Roman Empire of Spanish King Charles V began to use red tapes to bind important documents of government to help them identify them from less important documents. The practice spread to other governments and, eventually, became a symbol of bureaucratic resistance to public access to such documents.
Today governments across the world are looking for ways to “cut the red tape,” as it is often seen as a barrier to doing business and entrepreneurial competitiveness. Reducing red tape is also demanded by citizens availing themselves of public services.
At the home front, the fight against red tape continues but with brighter prospects of winning the battle, when the CSC introduced the ARTA Watch. As the personnel agency of the government, the CSC included compliance with ARTA in the annual performance assessment of government agencies. Simply put, a government agency will not be granted its performance-based bonus if it fails the ARTA Watch.
Five core areas were checked in the ARTA Survey of CSC—frontline service, service quality, physical working condition and overall client satisfaction. Two phases of validation were done by the CSC employees, including representatives from the private sector with some coming from non-governmental organizations. As one of the agencies of the government with the most number of clients (31 million members), the ARTA Watch has been setting its sights on the Social Security System (SSS) for some time now.
Last year out of 139 SSS offices surveyed by the CSC ARTA Watch, 138, or 99.2 percent, passed the test. Not bad, considering that the SSS serves different clients across all social strata, with varying standards for customer service. Out of the 138 offices, 27, or about 20 percent, were rated “Excellent.”
Obviously, not all SSS offices were surveyed last year, since there are 262 local branches and service offices nationwide as of end-December 2014. Some would argue the results of the CSC ARTA Watch survey, especially those who experienced bad service with the SSS. But with random visits and surprise spot checks done by the CSC and its mystery clients, the ARTA survey results are regarded as credible.
Furthermore, a public assistance and complaints counter is a standard setup in SSS branches for clients who were less than happy with the services they received. A Member Relations Department at the head office monitors and addresses complaints filed by members so that improvements can be made and lapses in service delivery can be corrected. Members can also e-mail their concerns to member_relations@sss.gov.ph.
Admittedly, there is still plenty of room for improvement in the delivery of service. Serving 31 million members and their beneficiaries is no mean feat. Serving them with excellence is a very big challenge! It is for this reason that the pension fund has been expanding its service network to bring its services closer to its members. Last year 25 new branches were opened across the country, aside from the 13 service offices located in malls and municipal halls, while three new representative offices were opened overseas, bringing the total SSS office network here and abroad to 283.
Aside from the physical bricks and mortar, the SSS is also improving its electronic points of service to clients. Members who want to know their contribution record or payment history have the option to enroll in the My.SSS online facility found on the SSS web site, www.sss.gov.ph. More innovations making use of new technology are under way to give members greater convenience and easier access to services.
****
For more information about the SSS and its programs, call our 24-hour call center at (632) 920-6446 to 55, Monday to Friday, or send an e-mail to member_relations@sss.gov.ph.
Susie G. Bugante is the vice president for public affairs and special events of the Social Security System. Send comments about this column to susie-bugante.bmirror@gmail.com.