TACLOBAN CITY — The Tacloban City government has been recognized by the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) for successfully implementing a fully digitalized business processing system aimed at improving the delivery of services to entrepreneurs and investors.
Tacloban received the Seal of eBOSS Compliance during a ceremony held at City Hall on Wednesday, May 20, where ARTA Secretary Ernesto Perez formally handed the recognition to Mayor Alfred Romualdez.
Also present during the awarding ceremony were Department of the Interior and Local Government Regional Director Arnel Agabe and personnel from the city government’s licensing office.
The Seal of eBOSS Compliance is awarded to local government units that effectively implement the electronic Business One-Stop Shop (eBOSS) system, a platform designed to streamline business registration, permit renewals, and other government transactions through digital processing.
Under the eBOSS system, business owners can apply for permits and process transactions electronically, reducing processing time, minimizing face-to-face interactions, and improving ease of doing business.
ARTA said the certification is granted only to local government units that meet the “Golden Standard” for a fully functional and integrated electronic business processing system. The standards were jointly developed by the Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Information and Communications Technology, and Department of Trade and Industry.
Mayor Romualdez said the recognition reflects the city government’s continuing efforts to promote transparent, efficient, and investor-friendly governance.
“This is a leap forward in bringing trust and confidence to the people, especially the business sector,” Romualdez said.
The Anti-Red Tape Authority was created under Republic Act No. 11032, or the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018, to reduce bureaucratic delays and improve government efficiency nationwide.
As of December 31, 2025, only 127 out of 1,642 local government units in the country had been granted the Seal of eBOSS Compliance, placing Tacloban among a select group of LGUs recognized for advancing digital governance reforms.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)
