The Land Transportation Office (LTO) has emerged as the most complained-about government agency, replacing the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which improved its standing to third place, according to the latest March 2026 report of the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA).
ARTA Secretary Ernesto V. Perez announced the findings during a Malacañang press conference, held as the agency marks Ease of Doing Business Month this May with various activities.
Perez reported that ARTA had received 2,021 complaints as of September 2025, of which 1,556, or 77 percent, had already been closed as of April 26, 2026. The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) ranked second among agencies with the most complaints.
He added that nearly 90 percent of all complaints have been resolved or closed, as they are immediately referred to the respective agencies’ Ease of Doing Business committees. Perez noted that agencies handling high volumes of transactions tend to receive the most complaints.
Most complaints involved delays in processing applications and the imposition of additional requirements—violations of the Citizen’s Charter. In 2025, three LTO personnel were convicted for violations of the Ease of Doing Business law.
Citizens filed complaints through the Electronic Complaint Management System (eCMS), a digital platform launched in 2025 that allows users to submit, track, and follow up on complaints involving inefficient or improper government services.
The eCMS enables citizens to file complaints electronically, raise concerns, and monitor progress without navigating multiple platforms or websites.
On Monday, ARTA launched TALA in Tacloban. TALA (Transparency, Accountability, and Law in Action) is a new feature within eCMS—an AI-powered assistant designed to receive, validate, and process public reports on slow government services and red tape. It supports 17 Filipino dialects and is accessible via the eGov Mobile App and the official eCMS website.
Decline in red tape
Addressing questions on bureaucratic red tape, Perez noted a significant decline. He said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. had commended ARTA for its accomplishments, particularly the digitalization of government transactions, which has helped improve the ease of doing business in the country.
Perez also shared that in discussions with foreign business chambers and ambassadors, stakeholders expressed optimism about the Philippines, citing ongoing reforms and digital initiatives such as TALA. He added that TALA is expected to evolve into a centralized ARTA portal, reinforcing transparency and accountability among government officials and personnel.
He noted that in previous engagements, the BIR had topped complaints, but the agency’s new commissioner has taken proactive steps to address concerns—efforts that have been recognized by the foreign business community.
To further reduce red tape at the local level, ARTA has begun working with provincial governments to require all local government units to establish electronic Business One-Stop Shops (eBOSS), allowing business registration processes to be completed entirely online.
Other ARTA initiatives include collaboration with the Asian Development Bank to develop a central business portal and a business registry forum—projects expected to attract more investors to the country.
