Mandaue to make application for business permits easier

CEBU, Philippines – Starting January 1 next year, it will take a maximum of 25 minutes to process business permits in Mandaue City.

The number of minutes to process business permits was decided during an activity workshop seminar held last September 16-17.

The workshop was designed to streamline the processing of business permits and the licensing system.

At the workshop were representatives of the city Treasurer's Office, City Assessors Office, City Administrators Office, City Planning and Zoning Office, City Health Office, City Engineer's Office, fire department, Human Resource Management Office, Mandaue City Chamber of Commerce, and DTI .

This offices are involved in the processing of business permits for businessmen who are putting up business in the city.

During the seminar-workshop, the participants came up with new ways to secure these permits.

Instead of making 17 stops at offices, this time it will only take 4, which would take about five to 25 minutes to do.

Querubin Momongan, city hall's consultant on Information Technology, said that starting November, businessmen in the city who would like to renew or apply for business applications would no longer have to go to city hall to get their business permit application.

In preparation for the renewal of their permit starting January 1 to January 22, 2011, the forms can be downloaded from the internet.

Come January, the filling up of the forms would be done inside a one-stop shop inside city hall.

Two other such shops would eventually be put up at the Mandaue City Sports Complex and at Parkmall.

The processing of the applications would take a few days.

MCCI president Eric Ng said he is happy about the one-stop shop idea because this would make it easier for businessmen.

Ng said this initiative will entice more businessmen to do business in the city.

Free refreshments would be served at the air-conditioned one- stop shop at city hall while applicants wait for the approval and release of permits.

"We will just let the papers do the walking and not the applicants," Momongan said.

One-shops will not only hasten the processing but will also minimize corruption, city administrator Briccio Boholst said. 

At present, 10,000 business establishments dot the city.

Under the new policy in processing the business permits, all permits will be processed only by representatives of the city treasurer's office.

Other requirements includes barangay clearance, tax certificate, SEC certificate for Corporation, DTI Registration for sole proprietorship, SSS clearance, Pag-Ibig certificate, T.I.N, BFAD registration for pharmacy, and CDA registration for Coop.

Additional requirements are to be submitted 45 days after the approval of business permits. (FREEMAN)