Business permits in 30 minutes

MANILA, Philippines - In Dagupan City, the center of trade and commerce in Pangasinan, getting a business permit can be done in a mere 30 minutes.

Carmen Olpindo, office manager of the One-Stop Business Center (OSBC), told The STAR that they beat their last year’s record time of 45 minutes for getting busi- ness permits.

“Now it’s faster,” she said.

Once requirements for the application – barangay clear- ance, community tax certifi- cate, health certificate to be issued by the City Health Of- fice for small businesses plus Bureau of Internal Revenue and Department of Trade and Industry for big businesses – are completed, their permits are processed immediately in compliance with Mayor Belen Fernandez’s order for prompt service.

Big businesses like banks come to their office with complete requirements so their permits are fast tracked, Olpindo said.

The City Engineer’s Office, City Health Office and Bu- reau of Fire Protection have their respective desks at the OSBC, she added.

Each desk has a time frame to accomplish one paper, five minutes at the most, from receiving, scrutinizing the requirements, assignment of business identification num- ber, assessment of engineer- ing, city health and assess- ment offices plus billing, she said.

The 30-minute time limit is achievable, especially if the applicant is around as his pa- pers are placed under “fast track” section.

“Ninety percent of com- ments received at the com- plaints and suggestions desk indicate approval rating of the customers of the OSBC,” Olpindo said.

Renewal of business per- mits is every January to February. By March, they will do tax mapping to find out who have not secured their business permits.