ASSISTANCE DESK. The public assistance desk has catered more than 200 clients who renew their business permits at the Business Bureau in Davao City on Monday, Jan. 2. (Zea Io Ming C. Capistrano/davaotoday.com)
DAVAO CITY, Philippines — It’s supposed to be a holiday, but 61-year-old Aurora Manlawe opted to renew her business permit as the city’s Business Bureau started its first day of renewal of permits for this year.
Manlawe arrived at the Sangguniang Panlungsod around 1 p.m. and after an hour she only needs to pay for the business permit renewal.
“It’s too fast, unlike before that I still have to line up,” Manlawe told Davao Today in an interview on Monday.
Teresita Liboon, a business owner from Calinan who also works as a bookkeeper, processed nine business permit renewal.
She arrived at the Sangguniang Panlungsod at around 10 a.m. and by 2 p.m. all she has to do is pay for the fees.
“If we can pay tomorrow, we will finish our renewal application,” she said.
Liboon said bookkeepers were told to process their applications on the first day as there will be lesser number of people.
The seats fronting the City Treasurer’s Office where Manlawe was seated are almost empty.
Andrew Abrasaldo, a staff of the Business Bureau who was manning the public assistance desk said they served only 203 clients past 2 p.m.
He said they are expecting that there will be an influx of applicants with more than a thousand.
Atty. Marissa Torentera, chief of the Business Bureau said as of 2 p.m. they have released 14 business permits.
She said it could only take two hours to finish the entire process of renewal.
“One of the factors that can speed up the processing is when business owners come early,” she said.
Torentera said they have asked some Barangays to open on Monday and cater to those who will be requesting for barangay clearance, which is one of the requirements for renewal applications.
“We also requested other barangays during the last working day last year to issue barangay clearances for the purpose of business renewal for 2017,” she said.
She said it would be better if the business owners would start processing their renewal application during the first week.
The Business Bureau is expecting to process 38,000 permits until March this year.
Torentera also reminded the applicants to bring complete requirements and payment for taxes to avoid delay.
The schedule for the renewal of business permit is set from Jan. 2-20 with the help of a one-stop shop set up at the lobby of the Sangguniang Panlungsod and at the Kadayawan Hall of NCCC Mall of Davao in Matina.
Starting January 3 to 6 the business permit processing schedule will be from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
During weekends starting January 7 to 15, the office will also open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
On the last day on Jan. 20, applications will be received at the Sangguniang Panlungsod from 8 a.m. to 12 m.n and until 10 p.m. at the NCCC Mall of Davao.
The basic requirements for renewal application include: previous Mayor’s or business permit, previous receipts, notarized list of all employees, authority to transact the renewal of Mayor’s permit, clear copy of valid identification cards of all signatories, original barangay clearance, Fire Safety Inspection Certificate, certified copy of proof of exemption if available, and available financial statement of the previous year.
Additional documents may be required from the applicant based on the business they are engaged in. (davaotoday.com)
