Businessmen crowd City Hall
Businessmen started flocking City Hall yesterday either to secure or renew business license permits which will end January 20.
Mayor Celso Lobregat said more facilities such as additional assessment tables and chairs have been set up at the ground floor and second floor of the City Hall building to accommodate more clients as well as to ensure comfort and convenience.
The city government, it is recalled has started accepting applications for renewal of business permits for the year 2010 starting last October 1st.
Lobregat has also initiated the early inspection of establishments based on the Business Processing and Licensing System or BPLS, a program undertaken through the Transparent and Accountable Governance (TAG) project funded by the United States Assistance for International Development through the Asia Foundation.
The TAG has caused the city to undertake new innovations to improve law enforcement and revenue generation activities.
Mayor Lobrtegat has appealed to all businessmen operating in the city to process applications for renewal the earliest time possible to avoid the rush and the payment of penalties based on existing laws. Late filing would mean a 25 percent surcharge plus additional 2 percent for every month of delay.
The offices involved in the renewal process are the City Treasurer’s Office, City Licensing Division, the Tricycle Adjudication Board, the Computer Services Division, City Health Office and City Planning and Development Office among others.
License renewal applicants are advised to bring the original business permit of 2009 as basis for the renewal.
Meanwhile, Lobregat is set to meet with City Treasurer Soledad Li and other officials concerned to look into the possibility of extending work hours during weekdays as well as in the coming weekends to accommodate more permit applicants.
Application forms can be secured from the Permits and Licensing Division located at the ground floor of City Hall. (Sheila Covarrubias)