Interpretation and Declaration of Policy
- Promotes integrity, accountability, and prevention of graft and corruption.
- Encourages simplified procedures to reduce red tape and expedite government transactions.
Definitions of Key Terms
- "Action": Written approval/disapproval of client requests.
- "Citizen's Charter": Document detailing services, procedures, and performance standards.
- "Fixer" and "Fixing": Individuals and acts involving undue facilitation for gain.
- "Frontline Service": Transactions involving applications for rights, permits, licenses, and related requests.
- Other relevant terms such as simple vs. complex transactions, officer/employee, published materials, report card survey, and irrelevant requirements.
Reengineering of Systems and Procedures
- Agencies to identify frontline services and reengineer their transaction systems within one year.
- Review steps, forms, requirements, processing time, fees, office location, and signage.
- Limit signatories on official forms to a maximum of five.
- Establish clear rules for authority in the absence of regular signatories.
Citizen's Charter Requirements
- Must include vision/mission, identified services and clientele, step-by-step procedures, responsible officers, maximum processing times, necessary documents with relevancy, fees, complaint procedures, allowable extension periods, and feedback mechanisms.
- Displayed prominently in offices and available in print or digital formats.
- Created through a consultative process involving stakeholders.
- Reviewed at least every two years.
Accountability of Heads of Offices and Agencies
- Heads responsible for fast, efficient, reliable frontline services.
- Failure to comply can lead to charges under existing laws.
Accessing Frontline Services
- Continuous customer service improvement programs are encouraged.
- Applications must be accepted and acknowledged with time and date.
- Preliminary assessment of requests is required to expedite processing.
- Prescribed processing times: max five working days for simple transactions, ten for complex.
- Extensions allowed under unusual circumstances, with written notice and client recourse.
- Applications cannot be returned without action; denial must be formally communicated with reasons.
- Extended working hours and flexible schedules to ensure service accessibility.
- Officers must wear identification cards or nameplates.
- Establish public assistance/complaints desks and communication channels.
- Automatic extension of licenses/permits if no action is taken within prescribed times, with exceptions related to expired or hazardous activities.
Report Card Survey
- Conducted by the Civil Service Commission with cooperation from other bodies.
- Evaluates agency compliance with Citizen's Charter and client satisfaction.
- Identifies hidden costs such as bribes or payments to fixers.
- Publicizes results and incorporates feedback into agency reports and Charter revisions.
Disciplinary Action
- Defined light offenses include refusal to accept applications, failure to act timely, ignoring clients, failure to issue written denials, and imposing irrelevant requirements.
- Penalties escalate from suspension to dismissal with disqualification from public service.
- Grave offense includes fixing and collusion, penalized by dismissal and disqualification.
- Administrative and criminal liability can be pursued concurrently.
- Fixers face imprisonment and fines.
- Jurisdiction divided between Civil Service Commission, Office of the Ombudsman, and Presidential Anti-Graft Commission based on appointment status.
Immunity Provisions
- Voluntary informants or witnesses may be exempt from prosecution for related offenses.
- Conditions for granting witness discharge include necessity of testimony, corroboration, and absence of prior crimes involving moral turpitude.
- Immunity can be revoked for non-compliance or false testimony.
Final Provisions
- Implementation costs to be charged to agency budgets.
- Oversight committee formed to ensure effective and swift execution of the law.
- Rules subject to amendment, with severability clause for invalid provisions.
- Rules effective fifteen days after publication.