Business permits, licenses out in 2 days under gov’t order to LGUs

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Business permits, licenses out in 2 days under gov’t order to LGUs
Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez says the government target is to have all 1,516 cities and municipalities adopt the new scheme within 30 days, and facilitate online processing of business permits and licenses within the year

MANILA, Philippines – Business permits and licenses can be processed in just one or two days under a joint memorandum circular (JMC) of 3 government agencies issued to all local government units.

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) signed the JMC on Tuesday, August 30.

The JMC seeks to automate the processing of business permits and licensing in LGUs, and to standardize the online processing of permits and licenses.

Under the JMC, LGUs are required to cut the processing time for business registration to two days for new applicants, and just a day for renewal – both requiring a maximum of 3 steps.

All LGUs are directed to use a unified form, both in print and electronic form, requiring only two signatories – the mayor and treasurer/business permits and licensing head with alternate approving signatories.

Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said the government target is to have all 1,516 cities and municipalities adopt the JMC within 30 days, and facilitate online processing of  business permits and licenses within the year.

Undersecretary Jorge Sarmiento said the DICT is pilot-testing in Tanay, Rizal, a computer application software that would automate the Business Permit and Licensing System (BPLS) to be made available to all LGUs.

Interior Secretary Ismael Sueno said his agency is open to the suggestion of the National Competitiveness Council (NCC) for barangay clearance to be issued by the city or municipal hall, to hasten the process.

Sueno also said he will direct the Bureau of Fire Protection to look into the  NCC’s suggestion to shorten the processing of fire safety inspection certificates (FSIC). 

The NCC has also proposed extending the validity of the FSIC to more than a year, especially for low-risk establishments.

In 2010, the DTI and the DILG issued a similar instruction to LGUs to streamline the business registration process.

According to the DILG-Local Government Academy, 93% or 1,419 of the country’s 1,516 LGUs, excluding those in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, were reported to have completed the streamlining program under the 2010 circular as of June 2016. – Rappler.com

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