‘30-minute business permit helps’

Monday, February 6, 2012

VALENZUELA City Mayor Sherwin Gatchalian yesterday said that if local government units (LGUs) can reduce the processing time of business permits to only 30 minutes, all those who are in the underground economy will be encouraged to pay their taxes.

Gatchalian, whose family owns Waterfront Hotel and Casino Cebu City, said that in Valenzuela City where he is the incumbent mayor, a small businessman and workers-turned entrepreneurs can get his business in 15-30 minutes.

Have something to report? Tell us in text, photos or videos.

Full computerization of transactions and records is the key factor in what could be the “fastest” business permit processing in the country.

Gatchalian, who also spoke before the recently-concluded 7th Visayas Island Conference of the Provincial Board Members League of the Philippines (PBMLP), said that the LGUs must treat the taxpayers as customers.

Programs

The theme of the conference is: “Engaging PBMLP into the Mainstream of National Policy-Making Through Thematic Concern.”

It also discussed school-industry strategic partnership and maximizing regional markets for employment.

“Once the taxpayers can feel that they are considered by the LGUs as partners in municipality- or city-building, they will volunteer to register their businesses and pay taxes to the government,” Gatchalian said.

He said that in most areas around the country including Manila, Cebu and Davao, they’ve found out that small entrepreneurs would rather go underground and not pay taxes because of the uncertainty of the processing time.

Most of those who did not register their businesses are the sari-sari store owners, barbecue stand owners, vendors, money lenders, among others.

Faith

Gatchalian said that once the entrepreneurs in the underground economy will register, that’s an indication that they have faith in the local governance.

The LGUs concern may allocate funds to lend to them at minimal interest so they could have more capital to expand their businesses.

“Once their businesses grow, the LGUs concern could collect more fees and taxes. And the most important is the employment they can generate in the communities,” Gatchalian said.