A government office wants a 'fixer' fee or extra requirements — is that legal?
Last updated: 2026-07-12 · Educational content; not legal advice.
Short answer
No. Under RA 11032 (Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018), which strengthened the Anti-Red Tape Act (RA 9485), every government office must post a Citizen's Charter listing all requirements, fees, and processing times, and may NOT demand requirements not on that list. Prescribed maximum processing times are 3 working days for simple transactions, 7 for complex, and 20 for highly technical ones; failure to act within the period can result in the application being deemed approved. Fixing is illegal and punishable. Report violations to the office head, the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA), or the 8888 Citizens' Complaint Hotline.
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Frequently asked
What are the maximum processing times?
Under RA 11032, government transactions must be completed within 3 working days for simple transactions, 7 working days for complex transactions, and 20 working days for highly technical transactions. If an office fails to act within the period and you submitted complete requirements, the transaction can be deemed approved.
Can an office ask for requirements not on its list?
No. Every agency must maintain a Citizen's Charter listing all requirements, fees, and processing times, and it cannot demand documents or fees not posted there. If asked for an undue extra requirement, ask to see the Citizen's Charter.
What can I do about a fixer?
Fixing is illegal and punishable under RA 11032 / RA 9485, whether or not the fixer works in the office. Report it to the office head, to the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA), or through the 8888 Citizens' Complaint Hotline, with details and any evidence.
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How to get and fix your government papers without a fixer — a PSA birth, marriage, or death certificate and a CENOMAR (order via PSA Serbilis / PSAHelpline), correcting a misspelled name or wrong first name administratively under RA 9048 and a wrong day/month of birth or sex under RA 10172 (no court needed; the birth YEAR still needs a Rule 108 court petition), late registration of an unregistered birth, the PhilSys national ID and its acceptance as valid proof of identity under RA 11055, applying for or renewing a passport at the DFA and its 10-year adult validity under RA 10928 (amending RA 8239), what to do when you lose your passport, getting an NBI clearance and resolving a 'hit', police and barangay clearances, registering to vote and transferring or reactivating your registration with COMELEC (RA 8189, mandatory biometrics under RA 10367), the cedula / Community Tax Certificate under the Local Government Code (RA 7160), and your anti-red-tape rights against fixers and undue extra requirements under RA 11032 (Ease of Doing Business Act) and RA 9485.