𝐂𝐀 𝐑𝐞𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐋𝐓𝐎 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐟𝐟 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐕𝐢𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐄𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐃𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐀𝐜𝐭

29 October 2025 — The Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) welcomes the recent Decision of the Court of Appeals (CA) dated 10 October 2025, which denied the appeal of a former Land Transportation Office (LTO) employee apprehended in an entrapment operation conducted on 16 May 2022.

The accused, a former employee of the LTO–Novaliches, Quezon City, was apprehended for alleged fixing activities in violation of Section 21 of Republic Act No. 11032, or the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018.

On 25 July 2023, the Court found the accused guilty of violating the said Act. Aggrieved by the ruling, she elevated the case to the Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 87, which subsequently denied the appeal but modified the penalty imposed through its Decision dated 06 May 2024.

Despite the denial, Ms. Doringo filed Motions for Reconsideration, both of which were denied. The Court reaffirmed its Decision in May 2024 and its Order in January 2025.

This case is proof that the government is serious about holding accountable those who violate the law.

ARTA, as the lead implementing agency of RA 11032, remains steadfast in its mandate to ensure that government processes are free from corruption and illegal practices. There shall be no room for fixers and unlawful activities in public service.

You can also read full story here: https://arta.gov.ph/press-releases/ca-rejects-appeal-of-former-lto-staff-accused-of-violating-ease-of-doing-business-act/

#ARTA #BagongPilipinas #FromRedTapeToRedCarpet #RedTapeFreePH #BetterBusinessMovement #LTO

PH Presents ASEAN 2026 Theme, Priorities during Chairship Handover

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia—The Philippines officially accepted the ASEAN Chairship for 2026 during the ceremonial handover at the closing of the 47th ASEAN Summit on Tuesday, October 28, marking the start of its preparations to lead the region under the theme “Navigating our future, together.”

 

During the event, the Philippines also announced its thematic priorities anchored on three key pillars: Peace and Security Anchors, Prosperity Corridors, and People Empowerment. These pillars reflect the country’s vision for a united and people-centered ASEAN that promotes stability, progress, and inclusion across the region.

Beginning January 1, 2026, the country will facilitate a year-long series of high-level meetings aimed at translating these priorities into action and driving collaboration on emerging issues that matter most to the region.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., accompanied by Trade and Industry Secretary Cristina A. Roque, received the Chairship from Malaysia, which led ASEAN in 2025 under the theme “Inclusivity and Sustainability.” The President thanked Malaysia for its leadership and emphasized the Philippines’ commitment to continue advancing the regional partnership.

Secretary Roque said the Chairship will focus on enhancing regional stability, promoting shared growth, and supporting communities through inclusive development.

“Our thematic priorities will guide ASEAN toward practical cooperation—ensuring peace that enables progress, prosperity that reaches every sector, and empowerment that drives participation from all,” Roque added.

For the Philippines, the Chairship offers a platform to demonstrate its leadership in trade, investment, digital innovation, MSME development, and the creative economy. It also celebrates the country’s rich cultural heritage and creative spirit, showcasing the beauty of its landscapes, the warmth of its people, and the artistry of local entrepreneurs.

The Philippines last chaired ASEAN in 2017 during the organization’s 50th anniversary. Almost a decade later, the country is once again ready to take the lead and help guide the region toward a shared and prosperous future. 

𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐧 𝐇𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐑𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐊𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐲𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐚 𝐖𝐢𝐤𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐅𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐨 N𝐚𝐠𝐤𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐚 𝐬𝐚 P𝐚𝐠𝐠𝐢𝐢𝐭 𝐬𝐚 𝐤𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝐧𝐠 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐏𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐚 𝐬𝐚 W𝐢𝐤𝐚, K𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚, 𝐚𝐭 I𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐝

Bilang pagtalima sa mandato ng KWF at pagbibigay-pugay sa ika-89 na anibersaryo ng KWF, idinaos nang matagumpay ang isang makasaysayang diyalogo sa pagitan ng Komisyon sa Karapatang Pantao at mga pangkat etniko sa pangunguna ng Pambansang Konseho ng Katutubong Mamamayang ng Pilipinas sa pamumuno ni Dato Binalan Hanas kasama ang Fulltime Komisyoner na si Dr. Benjamin M. Mendillo, Jr., ng Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino upang iparating ang mga ipinaglalaban ng mga katutubo sa kanilang ancestral lands na magiging direktang makakaapekto sa mandato ng KWF lalo sa preserbasyon ng katutubong wika sa Pilipinas na isinagawa noong ika-13 ng Nobyembre 2025, sa tanggapan ng Komisyon sa Karapatang Pantao, Lungsod Quezon.

Dinaluhan ito ng mga opisyal ng Komisyon sa Karapatang Pantao sa pangunguna ng Director para sa Protection Cluster na si Atty. Jasmin Regino at mga Regional Director ng naturang ahensiya na nagbigay ng kagyat na tulong sa hinaing ng mga katutubo. 

Sa isinagawang diyalogo, bawat tribo at rehiyon ay binigyan ng oportunidad na ilahad ang kanilang mga danas sa pagpapatupad ng BR 8371. Ang mga aksiyong legal ay itinala at nagbigay ng commitment ang mga rehiyonal na direktor na sila ay tutulong sa kanilang mga kinakaharap na hamon. 

Nagbigay din ng mensahe si Komisyoner Mendillo sa huli bilang rasyonal sa pagtulong ng KWF sa mga katutubong mamamayan bilang kongkretong pag-alinsunod sa pagpapanatiling buhay ang wika at kultura ng mga katutubo at sa pagsuporta sa kanilang karapatan bilang pagpapahayag ng kanilang pagkatao at pagkasarinlan. 

Pangunahing layunin ng diyalogo na madinig ang ginagawang diskriminasyon, panggigipit, pagpapaalis sa kanilang ancestral lands na hindi isinasaalang-alang ang Batas Republika 8371 o ang Indigenous Republic Act

HKIAC appointed as Adjudicator Nominating Body under the Security of Payment Ordinance

The Construction Industry Security of Payment Ordinance (Cap. 652) (“SOPO”) came into full effect on 28 August 2025. The SOPO aims to facilitate the recovery of payments under construction contracts and to provide a mechanism for speedy resolution of payment disputes through adjudication proceedings.

HKIAC has been appointed as an Adjudicator Nominating Body (“ANB”) under the SOPO by the Development Bureau of the Government of the HKSAR and is authorised to perform the functions of an ANB as specified in the SOPO, including the appointment of adjudicators. HKIAC has established a qualified Panel of Adjudicators under the SOPO.

The SOPO applies to main contracts for carrying out construction work (with contract value of not less than HK$5 million), and main contracts for the supply of goods (e.g. materials and plant) or services related to the construction work (with contract value of not less than HK$0.5 million). Sub-contracts under the same supply chain of applicable main contracts will also be governed by the SOPO.

𝐌𝐀𝐆𝐏𝐀𝐓𝐀𝐋𝐀 𝐒𝐀 𝐊𝐖𝐅 𝐃𝐈𝐑𝐄𝐊𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘𝐎 𝐍𝐆 𝐌𝐆𝐀 𝐓𝐀𝐆𝐀𝐒𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐍 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓

Inaanyayahan ang lahat ng mga tagasalin na magpatala sa KWF Direktoryo ng mga Tagasalin 2025!

Ang KWF Direktoryo ng mga Tagasalin ay naglalayong palakasin at pagyamanin ang network ng mga tagasalin sa bansa, lalo na ang ugnayan at partisipasyon ng mga tagasalin mula sa rehiyon. Sa pamamagitan ng direktoryo na ito, matitiyak ng KWF na ang matitipong mga tagasalin ay propesyonal at de-kalidad na makatutugon sa pangangailangan ng pagsasalin sa iba't ibang katutubong wika ng mahahalagang dokumento, kasulatan, impormasyon, at iba pang katulad. 

Magsisilbi ding gabay ang direktoryo para sa pagbibigay ng KWF ng priyoridad sa mga tagasalin na nasa direktoryo nito para sa mga imbitasyon, pabatid, pagsasanay, proyekto, at anunsiyo sa mga proyekto at programa sa pagsasalin ng ahensiya.

Magpatala sa link na ito: https://forms.gle/n4BzwXNhM9zU5QTs7

Bukás ang rehistrasyon hanggang sa 31 Oktubre 2025.

MAHALAGANG PAUNAWA: Ang mga lumahok / nagpatala / nagsumite sa 2024 Direktoryo ng mga Tagasalin ng KWF ay hindi na kinakailangan pang magsumiteng muli sa 2025 Direktoryo ng mga Tagasalin. Kasalukuyang isinasapinal ang 2024 Direktoryo ng mga Tagasalin at makatatanggap ng pabatid ang mga kinauukulang kalahok hinggil dito.

PBBM appoints new ARTA Undersecretary to lead Operations Group

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. appointed Dr. Lea-Grace B. Salcedo as the new Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) Deputy Director General for Operations on 06 October 2025, and she was officially sworn into office on 09 October 2025.

Before her appointment as Deputy Director General for Operations, Undersecretary Salcedo held two significant positions within ARTA. She previously served as the Director IV for the Finance and Administration Office (FAO) starting in September 2024, and earlier, she was the Regional Chief of the ARTA Northern Luzon Regional Field Office, beginning in January 2024.

Undersecretary Salcedo also brings experience from other government and academic roles, having previously worked at the National Security Council and served as a civilian professor at the Philippine Military Academy.

The new operations' team head holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Management from the University of the Cordilleras, a Bachelor of Laws and Letters from the University of Baguio, a Master of Science in Public Management, and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Saint Louis University. She is also currently taking her Master in Public Administration major in Regulatory Management Systems at Pampanga State University.

She has continuously pursued specialized training, completing programs such as Security Studies and Security Sector Governance and Reform at the Folke Bernadotte Academy, Project Management at the Ateneo School of Government, and Monitoring and Evaluation Program at the Asian Institute of Management and the Development Academy of the Philippines.

Furthermore, her commitment to research was recognized in 2019 when she was granted a Marshall Alumni Scholarship to study women at the George C. Marshall European Center for Strategic Studies.

Leveraging her extensive government service record and deep familiarity with ARTA processes, Undersecretary Salcedo will now supervise the Operations Group, which consists of two offices—namely, the Compliance, Monitoring and Evaluation Office (CMEO) and the Better Regulations Office (BRO). The Office of the Deputy Director General for Operations (ODDGO) is responsible for advancing ARTA's empowerment initiatives and is pivotal to the effective implementation of regulatory reforms and the promotion of efficient government processes.

With her assumption of office, the ARTA family brings high optimism about pushing its empowerment mandate beyond expectations. This directly responds to the Bagong Pilipinas directive to improve bureaucratic efficiency and ultimately better the lives of Filipinos.

𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐚𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐋𝐚𝐠𝐝𝐚𝐚𝐧 𝐧𝐠 𝐌𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐦 𝐧𝐠 𝐊𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐚 𝐩𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝐧𝐠 𝐊𝐖𝐅, 𝐍𝐂𝐍𝐃𝐎, 𝐚𝐭 𝐍𝐂𝐍𝐈

Matagumpay na isinagawa ang Seremonya sa Lagdaan ng Memorandum ng Kasunduan sa pagitan ng Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF), National Coordination Network of Deaf Organizations (NCNDO), at National Coordination Network for Interpreting (NCNI) sa layuning palakasin at paigtingin ang pagtataguyod ng Batas Republika 11106 o ang Filipino Sign Language (FSL) Act.

Sa panig ng KWF, lumagda ang Tagapangulo na si Atty. Marites A. Barrios-Taran kasama ang mga Fultaym Komisyoner na sina Dr. Benjamin M. Mendillo Jr. at Dr. Carmelita C. Abdurahman.

Kinatawan naman ng NCNDO si Kgg. Victoria Sakilayan, Vice-President ng Philippine Federation of the Deaf, habang sa NCNI ay lumagda si Kgg. Shirley Pinky Earnhart, Executive Director ng Philippine Registry Interpreter for the Deaf bilang kabilang panig ng unawaan.

Dumalo rin sa paglagda si Dr. Liza B. Martinez, Convenor ng Filipino Sign Language National Network para sa FSL Unit, bilang katuwang sa mas pinaigting na inisyatiba sa pagsasakatuparan ng mga adbokasiyang nakatuon sa FSL.

Layunin ng kasunduan ang higit na pagtibayin ang ugnayan sa mga nasabing institusyon upang maging masaklaw ang mga programa, proyekto, at polisiya kaugnay ng paggamit, pagpapaunlad, at pagpapalaganap ng Filipino Sign Language bilang opisyal na wika ng komunidad ng mga kasapi ng deaf community.