REFRESHER COURSE ON FRONTLINE SERVICING

ANTI-RED TAPE ACT OF 2007

(REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9485)

Presented by:

ROLLY A. FUNTELAR

Service Delivery Department

Anti-Red Tape Act and Related Directives

Highlights of the Provisions of the Act

Implementing Guidelines

The Citizen's Charter

Implementation Milestones

Implementation Activities

(An Act to Improve Efficiency in the Delivery of Government Service to the Public by Reducing Bureaucratic Red Tape, Preventing Graft and Corruption, and Providing Penalties Therefor)

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9485

Approved and Signed by Former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on June 2, 2007

RA No. 94

85

I. Anti-Red Tape Act & Related Directives

Implementing Rules and Regulations


y Promulgated through CSC Resolution No. 081471 dated 24 July 2008

y Published on 21 August 2008

y Efffectivity Date: 05 September 2008

Administrative Order No. 241

Mandating the Speedy Implementation of Republic Act No. 9485 Otherwise Known as the "Anti-Red Tape Act of 2007" and its Implementing Rules and Regulations and Strengthening the Application Thereof

Date of Implementation is December 2009y Approved/Signed by former Pres. GMA: 02 October 2008

Administrative Order No. 241A

Mandating the Speedy Implementation of Republic Act No. 9485 Otherwise Known as the "Anti-Red Tape Act of 2007" and its Implementing Rules and Regulations and Strengthening the Application Thereof

Date of Implementation is December 2008y Approved/Signed by former Pres. GMA: 10 November 2008


II. HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PROVISIONS OF RA 9485

1. Regular conduct of time and motion studies

2. Setting up of service standards known as the Citizen’s Charter

3. Processing time of 5 working days for simple transactions and 10 working days for complex transactions

5. In case of denial, sending of written explanation to the client, stating the name of the person making the denial and the ground/s for such denial

4. Sending of notice of disapproval* to the client within 5 working days from receipt of request/application

*Disapproval is the result of a client’s failure to submit specific requirements that are necessary in the processing of his application/request.

*Denial is the result of a client’s failure to meet the qualifying conditions as prescribed by the SS Law.


7. Adoption of appropriate working schedules to ensure that all clients who are within the agency’s premises prior to the end of official working hours are attended to and served even during lunch break and after regular working hours.

6. Limitation of signatories to a maximum of 5 signatures


9. Establishment of Public Assistance Desk in all the offices of the agency

8. Wearing of identification card by all employees transacting with the public

PUBLIC ASSISTANCE & COMPLAINTS DESK

10. Establishment of feedback mechanism, the results of which shall be incorporated in the agency’s annual report

11. Imposition of penalties for violations of the Act, classified as either light or grave offense


Office Order No. 2009 – 126

Subject: Implementing Guidelines for Republic Act No. 9485

Signed on December 11, 2009 by former PCEO Romulo L. Neri

III. SSS’ ARTA Implementing Guidelines

A. Coverage - All branches and departments that provide frontline services

B. Definition of Terms (based on the Act)

1. Simple Transactions - require ministerial actions only on the part of the officer or employee, or that which present only inconsequential issues for resolution by an officer or employee


2. Complex Transactions - require the use of discretion in the resolution of complicated issues by an officer or employee

3. Frontline Service - refers to the process or transaction between clients and a branch/department involving applications for any benefit or privilege which are acted upon in the ordinary course of business of the SSS


4. Electronic Transactions - refers to electronic transactions in government as provided in Part IV entitled "Electronic Transactions in Government" of Republic Act No. 8792, otherwise known as the "Electronic Commerce Act".

5. Manual Submission at the Counter - submission by a client of an application or request through one of the frontline service counters of SSS


6. Action - written approval or disapproval made by the department/branch on the application or request submitted by a client for processing

7. Officer or Employee - refers to a person employed in the SSS required to perform specific duties and responsibilities related to the application or request submitted by a client for processing


8. Irrelevant Requirements - any document or performance of an act not directly material to the resolution of the issues raised in the request or needed in the application submitted by the client

9. Fixer - any individual whether or not officially involved in the operation of the agency who has access to people working therein, and whether or not in collusion with them, facilitates speedy completion of transactions for monetary gain or any advantage or consideration


C. Time and Motion Studies/Evaluation & Improvement or Reengineering of Systems and Procedures – to be regularly undertaken by all concerned branches and departments to reduce bureaucratic red tape and processing time



D. Citizen’s Charter – to be set up in the form of:

D.1 information billboard posted at the main entrance of offices or at the most conspicuous place

b. D.2 published information material written in English, Filipino or in the local dialect

b. D.3 electronic version posted in the SSS Intranet and Website

a. Vision and mission

b. Frontline services offered and the clientele

c. The step-by-step procedure to obtain a particular service

d. Officer or Employee responsible for each step

e. Processing Time commitment

f. Required document/s

g. The amount of fees, if necessary

h. The procedure for filing complaints

i. Allowable period for extension

j. Feedback mechanisms


b. D.4 Contents of the Citizen’s Charter


E.1 Acceptance of Applications and Requests

a. In person, through postal mail, or via electronic means such as the e-mail, telephone, short messaging service (SMS), and SSS website as applicable.

E. Accessing Frontline Services

b. The responsible officer or employee shall

b.1 perform preliminary assessment

b.2 acknowledge receipt by writing clearly his/her name, the unit where he/she is connected with, and the time and date of receipt.

For electronic transactions, an acknowledgment number with the corresponding date and time of receipt will be sent via email, SMS or the SSS website. Requests made through telephone shall be given corresponding control numbers by the employee who receives the calls.


E.2 Action of Offices - shall not be longer than:

For extension due to the nature of frontline services or the mandate of the SSS, the period for the delivery of services shall be indicated in the Citizen’s Charter. The branch/department shall notify the requesting party in writing of the reason for the extension and the final date of release of the frontline service requested.

5 working days from date of receipt - for simple transactions

10 working days from date of receipt - for complex transactions

E.3 Disapproval of Application or Request - A formal notice should be sent to the client within 5 working days from receipt of application/request, stating the reason for the disapproval and the requirements which the client failed to submit.

E.4 Denial of Request - should be fully explained in writing, stating the name of the person making the denial and the grounds or basis of the denial. Any denial is deemed to have been made in accordance with the authority delegated by the President and CEO.

E.5 Limitation of Signatories - shall be limited to a maximum of 5 signatures which shall represent officers directly supervising the office or agency concerned


All clients who are within the premises during official working hours, including break times, must be attended to and served. The counters shall remain open even after regular working hours until the last client has been served.

E.7 Identification Card - should be visibly worn during office hours by all employees transacting with the public

Services extended to the clients through the SSS website and Telephone Assistance System shall be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.


E.6 Work Schedules - Counters shall be open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. (OP Memorandum Circular No. 111)

E.8 Public Assistance Desk (PAD)

a. Shall be established in all branch offices. This shall be manned by a Sr. Member Service Representative (with employee reliever in branches with big volume of MAC transactions)

b. Responsibility - The PAD shall hear the complaints of clients and equip the clients with information to pursue complaints. It shall work to assist in the redress of complaints of clients and connect the clients with the appropriate counters/units or agency to achieve favorable outcome.


Complaints Mgt. System


E.9 Functions of the PA Desk Personnel

o Log complaints daily.o Determine who has jurisdiction over the complaint. o Mediate and act on the complaint immediately.o Refer/endorse complaint to proper counter/unit within SSS or to another agency.o If complaint is settled, prepare accomplishment report.o Prepare a report of referred/endorsed complaints, citing the counter/unit or name of the agency where each was forwarded.

E.10 Electronic Submission of Complaints and Requests for Assistance

In addition to the PAD, the complaints and requests for assistance of clients shall also be received electronically through the Telephone Assistance System and the SSS website.


The following shall form part of the feedback mechanism of SSS, the results of which shall be incorporated in the System's annual report:

a) Program Management Departments' ARTA implementation monitoring reports;b) Member Relations Department's complaints reports; c) Reports of PADs nationwide; andc) Survey Results submitted by external survey organizations.

FEEDBACK

F. Feedback Mechanism

G. Violations

G.1 Light Offense

a. Refusal to accept application or any document being submitted by a client within the prescribed period

b. Failure to act on an application and/or request or failure to refer back to the client a request which cannot be acted upon due to lack of requirements within the prescribed period

c. Failure to attend to clients who are within the premises of the office or agency concerned prior to the end of official working hours and during lunch break


4. Failure to render frontline services within the prescribed period on any application and/or request without due cause

5. Failure to give the client a written notice on the disapproval of an application or request

6. Imposition of additional irrelevant requirements other than those listed in the first notice


G.1 Light Offense


G.2 Penalties for Light Offense

FIRST OFFENSE - Thirty (30) days suspension without pay and mandatory attendance in Values Orientation Program

SECOND OFFENSE - Three (3) months suspension without pay

THIRD OFFENSE - Dismissal and perpetual disqualification from public service


G.3 Grave Offense

Fixing and/or collusion with fixers in consideration of economic and/or other gain or advantage

G.4 Penalty for Grave Offense

Dismissal and perpetual disqualification from public service


G.5 Criminal Liability for Fixers

G.6 Civil and Criminal Liability Not Barred

Fixers shall suffer the penalty of imprisonment not exceeding 6 years or a fine of not less than P20,000.00 but not more than P200,000.00 or both fine and imprisonment at the discretion of the court

The finding of administrative liability shall not be a bar to the filing of criminal or other related charges under existing laws arising from the same act or omission as herein enumerated

THE CITIZEN'S CHARTER

WHAT IS THE CITIZEN'S CHARTER?

"Citizen's Charter" refers to an official document, a service standard, or a pledge, that communicates, in simple terms, information on the services provided by the government to its citizens. It describes the step-by-step procedure for availing a particular service, and the guaranteed performance level that they may expect for that service.

- Section 2.c, Rule II. Interpretation ARTA Implementing Rules and Regulations

Processing Time(In Working Days)

SALARY LOANS 4FUNERAL 3-5MATERNITY 9-12SICKNESS NOTIFICATION 3SICKNESS REIMBURSEMENT 9-12RETIREMENT 16DEATH 16

Services

COVENANT OF SERVICE

Section 6 of Republic Act No. 9485

"All government agencies including departments, bureaus, offices, instrumentalities, or government-owned and/or controlled corporations or local government or district units shall set up their respective service standards to be known as the Citizen's Charter in the form of information billboards which should be posted at the main entrance of offices or at the most conspicuous place, and in the form of published materials written either in English, Filipino or in the local dialect…"

OBJECTIVES OF THE CITIZEN'S CHARTER

a. Inform the members of the SSS services and commitment

b. Provide standard procedures, fees and charges, and other requirements

c. Encourage commitment of the SSS employees to deliver their service pledge

d. Set standard for measuring employee performance

e. Provide the facility for members feedback

f. Compel SSS to examine current systems and procedures

CITIZEN'S CHARTER: SOME BASIC PRINCIPLES

a. Citizens as customers b. Quality public servicec. Transparency in service deliveryd. Equal level of servicee. Better public engagementf. Proper redress to poor serviceg. Continuous service improvementh. Value for moneyi. Mutual accountabilityj. Predictability

TWENTY-THREE (23) MOST UTILIZED SSS FRONTLINE SERVICES

LIST OF MOST UTILIZED FRONTLINE SERVICES AND PROPOSED COMMITMENTS (PROCESSING TIME)

SERVICE COMMITMENT (Working Days)

1. Issuance of SS Number for PriorRegistrant (Employee/Self-employed/Non-workingSpouse/Overseas Filipino Workers)

Within the day

2. Registration of Employer Within the day3. Processing of Contribution Collection

List (Electronic R-3)5

4. Processing of Contribution CollectionList (Manual R-3)

10

5. Adjustment of Contributions and/orcorrection of Credited Years of Service(CYS)

5 (excluding manualverification of contributions)

6. Issuance of Employer Certificate ofCompliance

5

7. Processing of Salary Loan Application 58. Processing of Loan Repayment

Collection List (Manual ML-2)10

9. Processing of Loan RepaymentCollection List (Electronic ML-2)

5

10. Processing of Sickness Notification(Employed Members)

5

11. Processing of Sickness Benefit ClaimApplications for Unemployed/ Self-Employed/Voluntary Members

10

12 Processing of Sickness BenefitReimbursement Claim Applications forEmployed Members

10

LIST OF MOST UTILIZED FRONTLINE SERVICES AND PROPOSED COMMITMENTS (PROCESSING TIME)

SERVICE COMMITMENT (Working Days)

13. Receiving of Maternity Notification Within the day14. Processing of Maternity Benefit

Reimbursement Claim Applications forUnemployed/Self-Employed/VoluntaryMembers

10

15. Processing of Maternity BenefitReimbursement Claim Applications forEmployed Members

10

16. Employer’s Enrollment and the Sicknessand Maternity Payment thru the BankProgram

3 (if with bank confirmation)

17. Processing of Disability ClaimApplications

10

18. Processing of Retirement ClaimApplications

10

19. Processing of Funeral ClaimApplications

5

20. Processing of Death Claim Applications 1021. Payment through SSS Tellering Facility Within the day22. Filing a Complaint/Suggestion Within the day23. Application for SS Card

Screening of Application for SocialSecurity ID (SS Form E-6)

Within the day

SS Card Enrollment Within the day (if withappointment)

COS COMMITMENTS VS. CITIZEN'S CHARTER COMMITMENTS

PROCESSING TIME(IN WORKING DAYS)PROGRAM

COS Citizen's CharterRetirement 16 10Death 16 10Disability 21 10Sickness Regular 9 10Sickness SE/VM/Separated 12 10Maternity Normal/Caesarian 9 10Maternity Miscarriage 12 10Funeral 2-3 5Salary Loans 4 5

SAMPLE PROCEDURE

PROCEDURE IN RECEIVING REQUEST FOR CORRECTION OF DATE OF COVERAGE (DOC) PROCESSING TIME : ONE (1 ) WORKING DAY NOTE : NO SERVICE FEES

STEPS REQUIREMENT LOCATION

PERSON IN CHARGE

1. 2. 3.

Prepare letter of request for correction of DOC. Get a queue number and wait for the number to be called. Note: If the Branch is using an automated queuing system, the queue number and the assigned counter will be flashed via the display board Submit the letter of request

Letter of request Authorization letter from

member/employer if filed by a representative

SS Card or any two (2) valid IDs (one with photo) - If representing a member, present

member’s SS Card or any two (2) valid IDs (one with photo) and authorization letter.

MAC of SSS Branch

MAC of SSS Branch

Member Service

Representative

Member Service

Representative

4. Get the acknowledgement stub.

MAC of SSS Branch

Member Service

Representative

“To provide meaningful protection to the members and their families against contingencies resulting in the loss of income and financial burden and to contribute to the socio-economic development of the country through a viable social insurance program”.

The SSS aims to develop and promote a Viable, Universal and Equitable social security protection scheme through World-class service.

Viable. Social security protection shall be provided through generations.

Universal. Social security protection shall be provided to all residents of the Philippines, citizens and non-citizens alike, regardless of creed, gender, age, geographic location and economic status, especially the disadvantaged, so that no one will become a burden to society.

Equitable. Fair and uniform coverage shall be made available to all. Benefits shall be meaningful and able to sustain a decent standard of living.

World-Class Service. The highest standard of social security service - prompt, accurate and courteous, shall be provided to ensure total member satisfaction.

The SSS aims to institutionalize a corporate culture that instills the core values of

Trust,

Empowerment

and Teamwork.

A. SSS Mission

B. SSS Vision

C. SSS Corporate Values

D. Procedure

• Posting of the SSS Mission, Vision and Corporate Values posters at the main entrance of the office or at the most conspicuous place within the branch premises;

• Posting of and compliance with the Processing Time Commitments for the twenty-three (23) most utilized frontline services;

• Display of the Citizen’s Charter in clear book to display the 26 step-by-step procedures developed for the 23 most utilized frontline services

• Distribution of Citizen’s Charter Handbook

• Setting up of the Public Assistance Desk

ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN BY THE BRANCHES TO IMPLEMENT ARTA

Monitoring of Implementation

An oversight committee composed of the Civil Service Commission, as head, and the Office of the Ombudsman, the Presidential Anti-Graft Commission, and the Development Academy of the Philippines, as members, shall ensure the immediate and effective implementation of the Act (Sec. 2, Rule X of the Implementing Rules and Regulations of RA 9485)