DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/ 12 January)— Renewal of business permits here has become faster compared to last year as several steps have been taken out, an official said.
Dwight Domingo, officer-in-charge of the Davao City Mayor’s Office Business Bureau Division, said Thursday at the I-speak media forum that from seven to 10 steps, it now takes four to five steps to renew a business permit.
Removed from the steps are the certifications from the city’s regulatory offices such as the veterinarian’s office, environment and natural resources office, and health office, among others, as they are already included in the pre-complied documents.
The one-stop shop business permit renewal cited five steps starting with the business bureau office (BBO) for the required steps and submission of pre-required documents.
For the second and third steps, payment for taxes and regulatory fees will be done with the City Treasurer’s Office, and for the fourth step, payment for the Bureau of Fire Protection.
The last step will be back to the BBO for the issuance of business logo, which may be released in less than a day.
Business permit renewal in the city is ongoing until January 21.
Domingo cited that there were 11,254 business permits renewed in the first eight days of the renewal period, which began last January 2.
In the same period last year, he continued, there were 14,193 business permits renewed, a gap of almost 3,000 from this year’s figure.
Domingo believed the number would still increase, as most business owners usually renew their permits near or during the deadline.
He noted that the weather may have been a factor in the lower number of renewal, citing the intermittent rainfall here since the year began.
“I don’t find any reason for them not to renew [their business permits],” Domingo told reporters.
He said that more business permits were issued in January this year at 2,179, compared to the 1,748 in 2012.
Domingo also said that there are 97 requests to open new businesses, which are mostly small businesses with a capital of less than P500,000.
The number of new businesses in the city was reportedly 8.7 percent lower in 2012 compared to 2011, at 6,411 and 7,025, respectively.
Last year, the city reportedly had a total of 28,351 business permits renewed out of the 31,728 existing businesses with mayor’s permit.
Domingo said that faster processing of a new business permit is possible if pre-required documents have been complied.
It can be issued in less than a day if such is the case, he added.
Domingo said that the temporary authority to operate, which allows a business to operate within 30 days while complying with the requirements for business permit application, is no longer implemented this year to address the BBO’s concern with its data base.
The BBO established “one-stop shops” for the renewal of business permits at the city council’s building and at the NCCC Mall in Matina here.
On weekdays, accommodation of clients begins at 8:00 a.m. and ends at 8:00 p.m., and 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on weekends, Domingo said. (Lorie Ann A. Cascaro/MindaNews)
