THE telecommunications industry will save as much as P574 million in securing their license for broadcast towers under the government’s efforts to streamline procedures.
Jeremiah B. Belgica, director general at the Anti-Red Tape Authority (Arta), told European firms recently the agency’s National Effort for the Harmonization of Efficient Measures of Inter-Related Agencies (Nehemia) program is now underway.
The Nehemia program is the government’s response to growing complaints from telco firms, among others, to hasten the processes in obtaining permits and licenses.
The program has a target of reducing 52 percent in time, costs, requirements and procedures within 52 weeks on telco, socialized housing, food and pharmaceuticals, logistics and power.
Under the program, permits to operate a broadcast tower were brought down to eight, from 13; documentary requirements to 35, from 86; and processing time to 16 days, from 241 days.
Citing figures from the World Bank, Belgica said the Nehemia program should trim the cost of licensing at least 10,000 broadcast towers to P451.79 million, from P1.02 billion, or savings of up to P573.96 million all in all.
On the other hand, the program will decrease the number of steps to operate in the logistics sector to 56, from 209, as well as the time to process documents to 35 days, from 271.
Based on World Bank computations, the rationalization project will lower the total tariff paid to firms and middlemen to P378.83 million, from P2.22 billion, or a savings of P1.92 billion.
To further rationalize the procedure in obtaining government permits and licenses, Belgica said the Arta recommends that all LGUs and state agencies use the Integrated Business Permits and Licensing System Software (iBPLS).
The iBPLS transfers the application and processing of building permits and occupancy papers online, making it easier to get documents verified, registrations evaluated and fees and charges assessed.
Belgica presented the Nehemia program’s opportunities to participants of the 2020 European-Philippine Business Summit conducted last week.
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