Red tape, or the excessive regulations and bureaucracies involved in processing documents in the government, has plagued the Philippines for years. This culture of delays and inaction has led to corruption and the country's dismal performance in ease of doing business reports.

The Philippine government has taken several steps to address this issue, including the passage of Republic Act (RA) 9485 or the 'Anti-Red Tape Act (ARTA) of 2007.' But with President Rodrigo Duterte's goal to completely eradicate red tape and corruption, his administration also pushed for the passage of RA 11032 or the 'Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018,' which amended the old ARTA law.