Mayor Jerry Treñas said Monday, Jan. 9, he would not extend the filing of business permit renewal in the city which will end on Jan. 20.
At a press conference, Treñas said he was confident that the city government would be able to meet the expected number of business permits to be renewed this year.
The city government is expecting between 15,000 to 16,000 business permits to be renewed this year.
“We do not foresee that it will be extended. Even during the Covid-19, we extended but only for one week,” he said.
This, he said, despite the local government is in the process of transitioning from manual to the integrated Business Permits and Licensing System (iBPLS) that is being done online.
Data from the Local Economic Development and Investment Promotion (LEDIP) office showed 2,448 applications have entered the iBPLS while 1,264 permits have been issued as of Jan. 8.
LEDIP officer Velma Jane Lao said there is a parallel implementation of the old or the manual and the new system or the online transactions.
Those who are having difficulty transacting online can still go to the city hall or the offsite centers for assistance.
“I think it is a good time that it was implemented so that we see all the lapses and gaps that can be addressed. This is already working in other government units,” she said in a separate interview.
She added that with the implementation of the iBPLS, the unit would be able to see areas that need to be adjusted and reviewed to ensure the smooth implementation of the new system.
Aside from the city hall, the city government has offsite centers at the Festive Walk, Marrymart Mall, and the Atrium where businesses could pay their taxes and renew their permits.Perla Lena/PNA
