MANILA, Philippines - The Duterte administration has set up a hotline that will allow citizens to report inefficiencies and corruption in government.
The 8888 Citizens' Complaint Hotline was institutionalized through executive order no. 6 signed by the president last October 14.
"There is a need to institutionalize a public complaints hotline involving all agencies of the government and build on existing public feedback mechanisms for the realization of the government's policy to eradicate red tape and corruption," President Duterte said in the order.
The 8888 hotline will serve as a mechanism where citizens may report their complaints and grievances on acts of red tape. Red tape acts include complicated transactions and unnecessary procedures that are prone to corrupt practices.
The complaint center will be supervised by the Office of Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco Jr. His office has been tasked to work with other agencies for the interconnection and integration of existing feedback mechanisms.
The citizens complaint center was also directed to provide other communication channels including short message service, electronic mail, website and social networking sites.
The complaint center will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week excluding national holidays and work suspensions. The complaint will be referred to the concerned government agency for appropriate action.
Concerned state agencies are required to come up with a "concrete and specific" action within 72 hours or three days from the receipt of the complaint.
The Office of the Cabinet Secretary, the Office of the Special Assistant to the President and other concerned agencies will formulate the implementing rules of the order. The Office of the Cabinet Secretary was also tasked to submit to the president a report on the implementation of the orderwithin six months. The office will also submit quarterly reports about the accomplishments of the complaint center.
Duterte said the failure of a government agency or employee to respond timely to the complaints received through hotline 8888 shall be a ground for administrative sanctions.
In previous speeches, Duterte encouraged citizens to be assertive of their rights and to stand up against corruption and other malpractices in government. He said corruption would not end if people remain passive and if they just allow people in government to engage in irregularities.
“Do not be afraid to b******t your government. Because I said if you do not assert any right over them and insist on it, you will end up being afraid,” he told members of the Filipino community in China last week.
The president also assured the Filipinos here that he would back anyone who would make a stand against corruption.
The post Duterte Signs EO to Institutionalize 8888 Complaint Hotline appeared first on The Philippine Star
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