The clock is ticking for the majority of the local government units (LGUs) in the country as they have only about two months to comply with the automation of their business permit and licensing system (BPLS).
In a virtual presentation on Monday, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez noted that only 39 percent, or 593 LGUs, out of the total 1,516 have set up an electronic business one-stop shop (eBoss).
Lopez was citing the BPLS Compliance Report as of April 14 by the Department of the Interior and Local Government and Bureau of Local Government Development.
“On the local level, many of our cities and municipalities are likewise automating their frontline services from business permitting, payment of taxes and even contact tracing,” Lopez said. “We expect the numbers to increase by June 2021.”
Earlier this month, the Anti-Red Tape Authority (Arta) signed a joint memorandum circular with several agencies, including the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), ordering LGUs to launch their own eBoss by June 17.
The eBoss should be able to facilitate online submission of business permit applications; digital payment options; and issuance of electronic versions of permits, licenses or clearances.
Based on the report shared, 30 out of 33 highly urbanized cities are compliant already while 65 percent of the 110 component cities have set up eBoss.
More than half or 52 percent of the first-class municipalities and 41 percent of the second-class municipalities have their automated BPLS in place.
For third to sixth class municipalities, 30 percent or 256 out of 884 LGUs are operating an eBoss already.
“The cities in NCR [National Capital Region] have set up their own online registration system and payment system,” Lopez said. “Outside Metro Manila, we also have cities like San Fernando, Cagayan de Oro, Mandaue City, that have end-to-end systems just like Valenzuela and Parañaque in NCR.”
Business registrations
The DTI chief said that business name registration fees collected last year amounted to P525 million—68 percent of which were paid online, higher than 35 percent in 2019. Over 916,100 business names were registered last year.
Lopez said the DTI’s system upgrade allowed applicants to register their business names online and obtain their business name certificate in eight minutes.
“We believe that the ease and positive user experience resulted in record breaking numbers,” he said.
Meanwhile, the first phase of the Central Business Portal (CBP)—which is a platform that aims to contain all business-related information—was launched already, Lopez said. It reduced both the number of forms and documentary requirements and the processing time to three to four days from over 10 days before.
The Phase 2 of CBP is already “under way and will further expand the coverage to integrate the registration with other agencies,” Lopez noted. It will incorporate the “Philippine Business Number PHBN” which will serve as a unique business ID.
“While there is Central Business Portal for registration, may I also point out the existence of a GOV.PH earlier developed by the DICT [Department of Information and Communications Technology], which is a single window uniting all Web-based government content,” Lopez added.