The government has set an ambitious target to implement nationwide an online processing of business permits and licensing systems (BPLS) before the current year is out.
This was the timeframe set in a joint memorandum circular signed this week by the Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).
In the joint circular, LGUs were instructed 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.
DTI secretary Ramon Lopez said 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, 93% or 1,419 out of 1,516 local government units (ARMM excluded) have already streamlined their business permits and licensing systems into five days and five steps.
This is in compliance with a memorandum circular issued by DTI and DILG to streamline business process in 2010.
?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.
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.
