Ombudsman Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla is urging Cebu’s business community to report corruption and push for online government transactions, saying his experience across seven public positions has shown him how bureaucratic red tape and abuse of authority can burden enterprises.
Remulla made the call during a dialogue with business leaders at Casino Español on Thursday, Oct. 22, where he sought feedback on corruption risks, regulatory bottlenecks and problems businesses face when dealing with government agencies.
He said businesses should be able to submit requirements and complete transactions online instead of relying on intermediaries who may demand unofficial payments.
“Government should actually help businessmen make their life easier in some ways,” Remulla said.
The Ombudsman said his years in public service had exposed him to the intricacies of government processes and how public officials could exploit their positions.
“I’m not new to government. This is my 7th position that I held in our government,” he said.
Remulla began his government career in 1992 as a provisional board member of Cavite. He later joined the Presidential Management Staff in Malacañang, served as a chief of staff, spent four terms in the House of Representatives, became Cavite governor and served as Secretary of Justice before assuming the Ombudsman post.
“I think that I’m one of the few people who understands the processes, the intricacies of the bureaucracy, the tendencies of people to abuse power, I think, is something that I’ve seen,” he said.
He urged business owners and the public to speak directly to his office about abuses instead of allowing complaints to go unreported.
“We have to fight back by being open or by openly communicating to us what is happening on the ground,” Remulla said.
He added that government agencies should make it easier for businesses to operate, invest and expand, noting their contribution to employment and economic activity.
Remulla announced that the Office of the Ombudsman would convene a Philippine Regulatory Summit in 2027 to bring government regulatory agencies together to discuss overlapping requirements, gaps in oversight and ways to improve transparency.
“Maraming problema. And many of them are deep-seated problems. Like regulatory capture,” he said.
He also disclosed that the Ombudsman had removed a Bureau of Fire Protection chief and vowed to continue investigating cases involving public personnel accused of abusing their authority.
The dialogue also gathered recommendations on reviving the Investment Ombudsman Program, which would give businesses a channel to report bribery, delayed permits and abuse of regulatory authority.
The proposed initiative is part of the office’s broader efforts to address barriers to investment and strengthen accountability in government transactions.
Assistant Ombudsman Jose Dominic “Mico” Clavano IV thanked the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry for gathering representatives of small, medium and large enterprises for the consultation.
Clavano said the meeting was intended to let business owners share their experiences with government procedures directly, rather than wait for their concerns to develop into formal complaints.
He said the office would document the recommendations and consider them in its ongoing initiatives.
Remulla described the dialogue as encouraging and said he hoped to hold similar consultations in other areas to better understand the challenges facing businesses.
Earlier that day, he also met with Cebu lechon makers, whom he described as an important part of the province’s culture and economy.
He said consultations with different business sectors would help the Ombudsman identify ways to address corruption while ensuring government processes support legitimate economic activity.
Photo by Kaiser Jan Fuentes
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