Makati hits BFP for delays, harassment

MANILA, Philippines - Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay slammed yesterday the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) for allegedly causing delays in the processing of business permits at the city hall and for failing to act on cases of fire inspectors harassing business owners.

“Makati and the other local government units have been taking steps to support the national government’s program to cut down processing time for business permits. But we have here a national government agency burdening investors by adding a layer of red tape,” he said in a statement.

Binay said his office has been receiving a lot of complaints from business owners that it is taking them much longer than usual to secure their business permits because of the slow processing by BFP personnel of their assessment and payment of fire code taxes and fees.

He added that his office has also received reports that “some BFP personnel are using the Fire Code to force or coerce businesses into buying fire extinguishers and sprinklers from fire personnel themselves. No wonder businessmen feel that corruption has worsened.”

Makati fire marshal Ric Perdigon said all the complaints of irregularities and alleged harassment by fire inspectors have been investigated.

Under the Fire Code of the Philippines of 2008, a fire safety inspection certificate (FSIC) is a prerequisite for the issuance of a business or mayor’s permit and other permits.

Starting this year, the assessment and payment of Fire Code taxes and fees are no longer handled by the city business permit office, but by BFP personnel in a separate area at the ground floor of the city hall main building.

The BFP invoked the implementing guidelines of the Revised Fire Code of the Philippines of 2008, which has vested the authority to assess and collect the fees on the agency, to justify the takeover.

An official of the Makati fire department said the delay in the processing of business permits, originally done by the city treasurer’s office, is caused by the BFP’s lack of a computerized system to handle it. The BFP started collecting taxes last year.

“The collection went from being computerized when it was being done by the treasurer’s office. Now it is being done manually,” the official said.