By: Reden M. Miranda
DTI – Public Relations Unit, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and National Competitiveness Council (NCC) Co-Chair Ramon M. Lopez, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Ismael Sueno, and Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT) Secretary Rodolfo Salalima signed a joint memorandum circular to streamline the country’s business permits and licensing systems (BPLS).
“DTI’s work is geared towards establishing efficient regulatory procedures by cutting red tape and addressing bottlenecks in government frontline services. This is an effective strategy that allows our local enterprises to easily comply with requirements in starting a business,” said Lopez.
In the new JMC, LGUs are enjoined to align their business permits licensing system with the Revised Standards on Processing Business Permits and Licenses in All Cities and Municipalities in which (1) a unified form should be used, both in print and electronic format; (2) the processing time should only take two days for new registrations and one day for renewal; (3) registration procedures should only involve three steps; and (4) should only require two signatories, which is the Mayor and the Treasurer or Business permits and Licensing Office Head with alternate approving signatures.
Other streamlining measures outlined in the circular are: setting up of Business One-Stop Shop (BOSS) facility for business registration, conduct of joint inspection teams, computerization and automation of business permit process, and use of online and electronic method for more efficient business processing.
Lopez said that the target is to have all 1,516 cities and municipalities in the Philippines adopt the memorandum circular within 30 days and implement an online processing system within the year.
At present, ninety-three percent (93%) or 1,419 out of 1,516 local government units (ARMM LGUs excluded) have already streamlined their business permits and licensing systems into 5 days and 5 steps. This is in compliance with a memorandum circular issued by DTI and DILG to streamline business process in 2010.
According to Lopez, cutting the time and costs involved in starting a business will significantly improve the services provided by DTI’s Go Negosyo Centers, which bring government programs and initiatives closer to micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
Go Negosyo Centers are one-stop shops that facilitate MSMEs’ access to services such as business advisory, business information and advocacy, business registration assistance through the Philippine Business Registry (PBR) System which integrates all agencies involved in business registration. To date, 296 Go Negosyo Centers has been established nationwide.
