Guidelines and Procedures in the Implementation of Sections 5 and 6 of the Anti-Red Tape Act (ARTA) and Executive Order No. 176 Via the Mechanism of Service Excellence through Continuous Systems Innovation Monitoring & Evaluation (SECSIME)

June 8, 2015

DENR MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO. 04-15

 

Pursuant to Sections 5 and 6 of Republic Act No. 9485, otherwise known as the Anti-Red Tape Act (ARTA) of 2007, mandating all government agencies to regularly undertake evaluation and improvement of their transaction systems and procedures and re-engineer the same if deemed necessary to reduce red tape and processing time, and to post their service standards called the Citizen's Charter; and pursuant to Executive Order No. 176 dated 01 December 2014, institutionalizing the Integrity Management Program, the following guidelines and procedures are hereby issued:

SECTION 1. Objectives. — The mechanism of Service Excellence through Continuous Systems Innovation Monitoring & Evaluation (SECSIME) is hereby instituted in the Department in order to:

1. Establish effective practices that prevent graft and corruption in the DENR;

2. Promote transparency and efficiency in the manner of transacting with the public;

3. Devolve and democratize innovation in frontline services in all DENR offices down to the grassroots towards greater customer satisfaction; and

4. Increase innovation in the DENR towards better execution of its mandate.

SECTION 2. Scope and Coverage. — SECSIME shall be implemented in all DENR offices, attached agencies and bureaus, specifically at each Division and higher.

SECTION 3. Division/Office Citizen's Charter. — Each Division/Office shall craft its own Citizen's Charter detailing at least one major frontline service.

SECTION 3.1. Each Division/Office shall devote at least one day of the week (preferably Monday) for the entire month of June to formulate their own Citizen's Charter so they can submit the same not later than 01 July of each year. caITAC

SECTION 3.2. In formulating their own respective Citizen's Charter, each Division/Office shall conduct stakeholder consultations for greater transparency and responsiveness to customers.

SECTION 3.3. Each Citizen's Charter shall then be submitted to and evaluated by the DENR Citizen's Charter Team (CCT) which will endorse it to the Office of the Secretary for approval.

SECTION 3.4. The approved Citizen's Charter shall then be posted in a conspicuous place in their respective areas of work.

SECTION 3.5. The foregoing steps shall be repeated annually, or as the need arises.

SECTION 4. Feedback Trays and Boards. — Each Division/Office shall also provide feedback boards and feedback trays to which complaints/criticisms and commendations shall be placed. Feedback trays shall be provided along with standard forms where the customers can write their commendations or complaints/criticisms with regard to their experience in dealing with DENR personnel. Feedback boards, on the other hand, shall be in two places. One shall be placed where the customers can see the posted commendations received by the Division/Office from its customers, and the other one shall be accessible to the head of the Division/Office where criticisms and complaints shall be posted, reminding the head of the Division/Office of the need for improvements in their frontline services.

SECTION 5. Frontliners. — Each Division/Office shall designate a frontliner of the day who shall entertain the customers and attend to their needs. The Administrative Services Division is hereby tasked to design an appropriate, uniform, vests or nameplates that will be worn by all frontliners.

SECTION 6. Physical Office-ICT Interface. — Each Division/Office Citizen's Charter shall be posted in DENR websites. This will enable the public to access the information needed in connection with the specific frontline service to be availed of. The Citizen's Charter shall be translated into videos and/or other instructional materials that will be made available by each Division/Office to their respective customers.

SECTION 7. Monitoring and Evaluation. — Internal monitoring and evaluation of posting, compliance and updates on the Citizen's Charters shall be done by the Internal Audit Service (IAS), together with regional IAS focal persons for their respective regions. External monitoring and evaluation will be done by the Civil Service Commission pursuant to the ARTA. The results of these monitoring and evaluation shall be takes into account by the Divisions/Offices in updating their respective Citizen's Charters.

SECTION 8. Required Trainings of Personnel. — The Human Resources Development Service shall require all personnel, especially the frontliners, to regularly undergo relevant trainings for Citizen's Charter formulation, frontline service delivery improvement and customer satisfaction. ICHDca

SECTION 9. Program Management and Supervision. — The CCT headed by the Assistant Secretary for Internal Audit and Anti-Corruption shall be responsible for the overall management and supervision of the implementation of SECSIME.

SECTION 10. Funding. — Each office shall allocate funds to support the implementation of SECSIME.

SECTION 11. Repealing Clause. — This Circular shall supersede other issuances that are inconsistent herewith.

SECTION 12. Effectivity. — This Circular shall take effect immediately upon approval. APPROVED in the City of Quezon, Philippines, this ___th day of _________, in the Year of Our Lord, Two Thousand Fifteen. TCAScE

(SGD.) RAMON J.P. PAJESecretary