Iloilo pushes eBOSS rollout across all 43 LGUs

By Mariela Angella Oladive

Iloilo province is accelerating the implementation of the electronic Business One-Stop Shop (eBOSS) across all 43 local government units to streamline business registration and permit processing.

The initiative was discussed during a courtesy visit by Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) Director-General Ernesto V. Perez to Iloilo Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. at the Iloilo Provincial Capitol.

The eBOSS is a digital platform designed to streamline business permit processing, reduce red tape and shorten transaction times for entrepreneurs in compliance with Republic Act 11032, or the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018.

Defensor expressed strong support for the initiative, describing it as a critical step toward modernizing local governance and improving the ease of doing business in Iloilo.

He acknowledged connectivity challenges in some municipalities but emphasized that automation remains key to long-term growth and competitiveness.

He said digitizing business permit systems would simplify procedures and position Iloilo as a forward-looking and business-friendly destination.

The system is also expected to strengthen transparency and accountability by improving permit tracking, particularly as the provincial government does not exercise direct oversight over municipal business approvals.

The provincial government and ARTA are set to formalize their partnership through a memorandum of agreement in May to coincide with Ease of Doing Business Month.

During the meeting, Defensor also presented his legacy project, the Smart and Green Government Center, envisioned as a centralized one-stop facility integrating national government agencies and providing seamless access to essential public services.

Perez was accompanied by Head Executive Assistant Atty. Sarah Marie P. Lampitoc and Western Visayas Regional Field Office Chief Administrative Officer Josephine Venus D. Castillo.

Bonnie Ladrido, executive director of the Institute of Contemporary Economics, later joined the discussions.

RA 11032 mandates all government agencies and LGUs to adopt streamlined procedures for business permits and other government transactions, setting processing time limits of three working days for simple transactions, seven for complex ones and 20 for highly technical applications.

ARTA, created under the same law, serves as the oversight body tasked with ensuring compliance and penalizing agencies that fail to meet service delivery standards.

The Philippines ranked 95th out of 190 economies in the World Bank’s last Ease of Doing Business report in 2020, with starting a business and dealing with construction permits identified as areas needing significant improvement.