The Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) is accelerating the digitalization of the country’s business landscape.
Following a comprehensive two-day workshop held recently at the ARTA Central Office, the agency has solidified plans to integrate the Bureau of Fire Protection’s (BFP) Fire Safety Inspection System (FSIS) into the electronic Business One-Stop Shop (eBOSS) of local government units (LGUs).
The integration marks a critical milestone in the government’s push for a “Single Window” experience, ensuring that entrepreneurs no longer have to navigate separate, fragmented systems to obtain fire safety clearances and business permits.
Addressing participants from various government agencies, ARTA Secretary Ernesto V. Perez underscored that speed and inter-agency synergy are the cornerstones of modern governance.
“We are committed to delivering the high-quality, fast, and efficient service that the Filipino people deserve,” Secretary Perez stated. “This workshop is not just about technical mapping; it is about harmonizing our efforts to remove the bottlenecks that hinder our nation’s economic ease.”
The workshop brought together key stakeholders from the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), the BFP, and several pioneering LGUs. During the sessions, participants:
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Harmonized Data Fields: Ensured that data captured by LGUs and the BFP are consistent to reduce redundancies.
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Optimized Workflows: Developed system “work-arounds” to facilitate seamless communication between the national digital framework and third-party LGU portals.
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Established “Grace Period” Proposals: ARTA and select LGUs recommended a policy allowing business permits to be issued if a fire inspection is pending beyond the prescribed processing time—a move aimed at preventing administrative delays from stalling business operations.
The DICT is set to begin the technical integration of FSIS into the eLGU iBPLS platform by April 2026. This will be followed by a phased rollout:
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May 2026: Official pilot launch in Region III.
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Subsequent Phases: Expansion to key cities in the Visayas and Mindanao.
To formalize these technical gains, the parties have agreed to draft a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) and a Data Sharing Agreement (DSA). These documents will define institutional roles and ensure strict adherence to data privacy and security protocols.
Furthermore, the workshop’s outputs will be integrated into the ongoing revision of Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) 2021-01, providing a legal and procedural backbone for business permitting across all cities and municipalities.
The event saw active participation from the LGUs of Quezon City, Taguig, Parañaque, Valenzuela, Calamba, Mandaue, and Ozamiz. Their frontline insights ensured that the integrated system remains practical and responsive to the needs of local administrators and their constituents.
By unifying the BFP’s FSIS with the eBOSS, ARTA continues to lead the charge in making the Philippines a more competitive and business-friendly destination.
