Alliance bats for shorter gov’t processing system

Bicol Mail

An alliance of LGU workers and businessmen in Metro Naga who committed themselves to create a more business-friendly atmosphere are continuously finding ways to further improve the service standards in processing business permits and licenses by the local government units concerned.

In an orientation-seminar-workshop on upscaling business permits and licensing system (BPLS) held last July 12, this year, at the Avenue Plaza Hotel, here, the development partners have come up with a shorter version of existing BPLS for incoming business application and renewals.

The workshop, which aims to tool up the tourism and investment opportunities of Metro Naga, has streamlined the old BPLS procedure by reducing the number of signatories, thereby obtaining a reduced process from nine steps to five, that meet the standards set in the August 2010 joint memorandum circular issued by DILG Secretary Jesse M. Robredo and DTI Secretary Gregory L. Domingo.

Philip T. Imperial, president of Metro Naga Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MNCCI) sees the new approach as “celebratory” in the sense that it would open the door for LGUs to a manifold of opportunities that will spur socio-economic growth.

Imperial said through reforms that reduce the cost of doing business and address other policy issues many investors will be encouraged to do business in our country.

Higino Gene Sambo, DILG local government operations officer V, said the DILG-DTI Circular seeks to streamline the business permits and licenses systems in cities and municipalities in accordance with the service standards which the national government has put in place consistent with RA 9485, otherwise known as the Anti-Red Tape Act of 2007.

Sambo said the government recognizes the importance of improving the country’s growth potential through enhancing its competitiveness at the national and local levels.

Sieg Bulaong, executive director of Metro Naga Development Council, said the undertaking comes as an offshoot of the multipronged strategies by the alliance of Metro Naga LGUs headed by Naga Mayor John Bongat, MNCCI, LGSP-LED, DILG, DTI and the municipal business councils to propel the tourism and investment opportunities in the district.