CRC-ILD’s Project Director Mir Tillah with ARTA Secretary Perez (center) during the courtesy call and exploratory partnership meeting in August 2026.
The Center for Research and Communication’s Institute for Local Development (CRC-ILD) paid a courtesy call to Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) Secretary Ernesto V. Perez and key ARTA officials on August 28, 2025 to explore collaboration on supporting local governments on improving ease of doing business.
As a newly established institute, CRC-ILD was created in response to the growing imperative of unlocking the full potential of local governments as drivers of meaningful, inclusive, and sustainable development. The Institute brings together a pool of technical experts from various development sectors, many of whom have decades of experience implementing development programs supported by the former United States Agency for International Development (USAID), particularly in the areas of local governance, economic development, and institutional strengthening.
During the meeting, the CRC-ILD team presented the institute’s mandate and core areas of work, which include providing technical assistance to local governments, strengthening the capacities of local government officials and staff, advancing research and policy advocacy, and supporting private sector engagement with local governments through strategic advisory and consulting services.
ARTA’s mandate to streamline government processes, eliminate bureaucratic red tape, and improve ease of doing business strongly aligns with CRC-ILD’s mission of strengthening local governance systems and enhancing public service delivery. Several CRC-ILD technical experts previously collaborated with ARTA through local governance and regulatory reform initiatives, providing a strong foundation for future partnership opportunities.
The meeting also opened discussions on possible collaboration in support of ARTA’s local government-focused ease of doing business initiatives, with both institutions recognizing the importance of responsive, efficient, and citizen-centered local governance.
As part of its advocacy and knowledge-sharing initiatives, CRC-ILD also invited Secretary Perez to the upcoming Forum on Local Governance and Development on October 11, 2025. The forum will focus on the implications of the Mandanas-Garcia ruling and the future of local development in the Philippines. It will also double as the official launch of CRC-ILD.
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