LC: Taking Steps Towards a Reformed BPLS

Recognizing the importance of streamlining business permit and licensing system in reducing the cost of doing business and the benefits derived from it, the City Government has taken steps to simplify the business registration process. Our aim is to ease the burden of applicants and make the process of doing business more conveniently.

The Department of Interior and Local Government and Department of Trade and Industry through Joint Memorandum Circular No. 01 Series of 2010 dated August, 2010 and Joint DILG-DTI Department Administrative Order N0. 10-07 Series of 2010 mandates all provincial governors, city mayors and municipal mayors to implement reforms in processing business permits and licenses.

We reduced the steps/procedures from seven (7) to five (5) steps by merging the fire department’s assessment of fees with that of the Business Permit and Licensing Office (BPLO). Clearances from Land Tax are no longer required. We will also adopt the Unified Form for business applications.

Likewise, we will implement pre- registration . Business persons are now allowed to secure clearances from local units and national agencies (NGAs) prior to the renewal period.

Another measure is the conduct of advance inspection on business establishment. This practice will ensure that all required clearances and certificates have been secured before the renewal period.

A Permits and Licenses Inspectorate Team was created by virtue of Executive Order No. 2010-001 dated November 23, 2010, that will conduct inspection on business establishment simultaneously.

A temporary Business One Stop Shop has already been identified. We will be using the City Basketball Court for the renewal period.

The reformed Business Permit and Licensing System will be implemented this coming January 2, 2011.

The streamlined BPLS was a joint undertaking of the Office of the Mayor, Office of the City Treasurer, Office of the City Planning and Development Office, Office of the City Engineer and the Bureau of Fire Protection. We simplified the steps/procedures and formulate service standards to be observed in every transaction which was made known to the public.