BPLO ‘one-stop shop’ promises convenience for Taguig folk

Business owners in the city of Taguig can now heave a sigh of relief, thanks to the local government’s plan to establish a “one-stop shop” that would cater to all their permit filing and renewal needs, saving them time and effort.

“No longer will business owners and proprietors have to hop from one office to another and spend long hours waiting at the city hall,” said Taguig Mayor Lani Cayetano.

According to the mayor, it is the aim of the BPLO to put all of the departments involved in the filing of permits in just one location. “You literally don’t have to leave the place. Instead of you going to the offices, the offices come to you. Thus, a one-stop shop.”

BPLO’s one-stop shop would be established in time for the next business permit renewal period between January 3 and 20, 2011, the lawyer said. Mayor Cayetano said higher city revenues would mean a bigger budget, translating to better services for education, health, infrastructure and social service.

lawyer Fanella Joy Panga, officer-in-charge of Taguig’s Business Permit and Licensing Office (BPLO), said that her department is eyeing the Taguig City Hall Auditorium as the place to implement this set up. “Each step in acquiring business permit will have designated numbers, making the process easier and orderly.

She said the mayor had earlier directed the BPLO to come up with ways to make its transactions with the public more streamlined and efficient, leading to improved fee and tax collection.

“We will improve our business permit and licensing system together with changes in the tax and fee payment system to encourage all to register their business and to pay the right taxes,” Panga said.

Under the scheme, permit renewal could take just one day for most businesses. But she said that business owners will have to do their part first, that is, comply with requirements like barangay clearance and finance statements which cannot be obtained from the city hall.

During special cases, the BPLO staff would even be willing to deliver the permits to the business establishments itself, something that the department did a few months ago when the release of permits was delayed due to the change in local administration.

More importantly, the official said that the notion behind the one-stop shop is to lay the foundation for online BPLO transactions, which promises to be even more convenient for Taguig residents.

“That’s (online) possible in the very near future. What we have to do first is establish connection with a bank and have an efficient fee collection system. What we’re doing right now is laying the foundation and creating an atmosphere where the local business community is happy,” Panga added.