ARTA streamlines FDA, LGU checks on biz permits

MANILA -- The AntiRed Tape Authority (ARTA) will implement streamlining of inspections by a local government unit (LGU) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to speed up the processing of sanitary permits and License to Operate (LTO).

ARTA Director-General Jeremiah Belgica met officials and representatives from FDA, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Quezon City Health Department, and the National Association of Business Permits and Licensing Office on Friday to discuss the implementation of streamlined inspections.

In a statement, ARTA said the LGU will now do

the inspection for sanitary permit and for FDA’s LTO.

Currently, LGU and FDA do separate inspections for sanitary permit and LTO, respectively.

“Through the deputization of inspection functions, LGUs would be able to inspect food manufacturing enterprises for issuance of FDA’s LTO, together with their inspection for sanitary permits, making LGUs as supervising body while retaining jurisdiction to FDA,” ARTA said.

ARTA added LGU representatives will be trained for the inspection done by the FDA.

Deputizing the FDA inspection to LGU aims to address the backlog in releasing LTOs, ARTA said.

“Through this, we will be able to deliver faster and ultimately better service to the people,” Belgica said.

This will be first implemented in Quezon City, having the largest number of enterprises in the country, before rolling out nationwide.

“Working together is the core of what we are doing in ARTA. That’s why we are grateful for FDA and Quezon City who have welcomed and are leading the developments that we need to see in the government,” Belgica added.

PR WORKERS of a company in Davao del Sur who are beneficiaries of the Employment Compensation Commission Cash Assistance program display their checks. The program provides incentives to workers who meet accidents in their workplaces.