WHEREAS, Article II, Section 27 of the Constitution provides that the State shall maintain honesty and integrity in the public service and shall take positive and effective measures against graft and corruption;

WHEREAS, Republic Act (RA) No. 9485, otherwise known as the Anti-Red Tape Act of 2007, provides that the State shall take appropriate measures to promote transparency in each agency with regard to the manner of transacting with the public, with the objective of reducing red tape and expediting transactions in government;

WHEREAS, Administrative Order (AO) No. 241 (s. 2008), enjoined all agencies to establish a public hotline to effectively receive feedback and monitor customer satisfaction in conformity with RA No. 9485;

WHEREAS, Section 2 of AO 241 mandated agencies to interconnect their current and future public assistance systems with the government-wide citizen's helpline once the same is established;

WHEREAS, the Civil Service Commission (CSC) collaborated with the National Computer Center (NCC) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) to establish the Contact Center ng Bayan (CCB) Project, to serve as a public feedback mechanism for the Government to link the public and certain frontline agencies;

WHEREAS, 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;

WHEREAS, Executive Order No. 1 dated 30 June 2016 placed certain agencies under the supervision of the Office of the Cabinet Secretary (OCS) to develop programs and projects that promote social education to enable people's participation in effecting real change by keeping watch of the affairs of the government, and listen to people's feedback;

WHEREAS, Article VII, Section 17 of the Constitution provides that the President shall ensure that the laws are faithfully executed;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order:

SECTION 1. Institutionalization of the 8888 Citizens' Complaint Hotline. The hotline number "8888" is hereby institutionalized as the Citizens' Complaint Hotline number.

SECTION 2. Establishment of the 8888 Citizens' Complaint Center. There is hereby established an 8888 Citizens' Complaint Center which shall serve as a mechanism where citizens may report their complaints and grievances on acts of red tape, as defined under RA No. 9485 and other relevant laws, and/or corruption of any national government agency, government-owned or -controlled corporation (GOCC) / government financial institution (GFI), and other instrumentalities of the government.

SECTION 3. Lead Agency. The 8888 Citizens' Complaint Center shall be under the direction and supervision of the OCS.

SECTION 4. Collaboration with Government Agencies and Integration of Existing Public Feedback Mechanisms. The OCS, in coordination with the Office of the Special Assistant to the President (OSAP), is hereby directed to collaborate with other government agencies, in the operation of the 8888 Citizens' Complaint Center, and enter into such arrangements necessary for the possible interconnection and integration of existing public feedback mechanisms, such as the CCB Project of the CSC.

Concerned government agencies and offices shall designate their respective focal and technical officers who shall assist the OCS in its collaboration efforts, and interconnection and integration of public feedback mechanisms.

SECTION 5. Minimum Operating Standards. The 8888 Citizens' Complaint Center shall have the following minimum operating standards:

1. Communication Channels. In  addition to the "8888" telephone hotline, the 8888 Citizens' Complaint Center shall provide other communication channels which  may include:
   • Short message service (SMS)/Text access;
   • Electronic mail (E-mail);
   • Website/Webpage; and
   • Social media, as well as any other emerging communication medium;
     
     
2. Operating Hours. The 8888 Citizens' Complaint Center shall operate, through any of its communication channels, twenty-four (24) hours a day, seven (7) days a week, from Mondays to Sundays, excluding national holidays and work suspensions. As far as practicable, live agents shall respond to calls made through the telephone hotline facility;
   
   
3. Process Flow A citizen's concern received through any of the communication channels shall immediately be referred, directly or indirectly, to the concerned government agency, office or instrumentality for appropriate action. As much as the circumstances permit, the complainant shall be given advice or feedback on the status of the concern until its resolution; and
   
   
4. Period to Take Action. A citizen's concern lodged through any of the communication channels shall have a concrete and specific action within seventy-two (72) hours from receipt of the concern by the proper government agency or instrumentality.
   

SECTION 6. Cooperation of Other Government Agencies. To ensure that the general public is served efficiently and expeditiously, all national government agencies, GOCCs/GFIs, and other instrumentalities of the government are enjoined to cooperate with the OCS to ensure prompt action on the public's concerns received through the 8888 Citizens' Complaint Center.

SECTION 7. Funding.  The initial funding requirements for the implementation of the 8888 Citizens' Complaint Center shall be determined by the Department of Budget and Management, subject to compliance with applicable laws, rules and regulations.  Appropriations for the succeeding years shall be incorporated in the budget proposals of the OCS and other concerned government agencies, officers and instrumentalities.

SECTION 8. Implementing Rules and Operational Guidelines.  The OCS, with the assistance of the OSP and other concerned government agencies, offices, and instrumentalities, shall formulate and issue rules and operational guidelines for the implementation of this Order.

SECTION 9. Reports. The OCS shall submit, within six (6) months from the effectivity of this Order, a report to the President on the Implemention thereof.

Thereafter, the OCS shall submit quarterly reports to the President, through the OSAP, on the activities and accomplishments of the 8888 Citizens' Complaint Center.

SECTION 10. Administrative Sanctions. Without prejudice to the appropriate criminal liability. failure on the part of a government agency or employee to timely respond to the public's concerns recieved through the 8888 Citizens' Complaint Center, or any other violation of the provisions of this Order, shall be a ground for administrative sanctions under existing laws and regulations.

SECTION 11. Separability If any provision of this Executive Order is declared invalid or unconstitutional, the other provisions not affected thereby shall remain valid and subsisting.

SECTION 12. Repeal All issuances, orders, rules and regulations or parts thereof which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Executive Order are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 11. Effectivity. This Executive Order shall take upon publication in a newspaper of general circulation.

DONE, in the City of Manila, this 14th day of October in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Sixteen.


By the President:

(Sgd.) SALVADOR C. MEDIALDEA
Execiutive Secretary