Acting Mayor Reinaldo Bautista Jr. said he has ordered the City Treasurer’s Office (CTO) and other offices involved in facilitating issuance of business permits to strengthen the campaign against fixers in the processing of these business licenses, both new applications and for renewal.
“We have issued a memorandum on the matter and I trust that the CTO will strictly implement the same so that fixers should now be a thing of the past and that no preferential treatment will be given to any applicant to be fair to all,” Bautista said.
He said government employees should be wary of the sanctions facing them for aiding traders in the processing of their permits illegally.
Bautista assured the crackdown against illegal business establishments operating in the city would continue this year. He said he has also issued an order for the closure of firms operating without business licenses. The order covers all establishments, big or small, and not just one particular firm, he stressed.
He said this remains part of the renewed campaign to enhance tax collection by maximizing existing income sources for the city government.
The acting mayor closed a number of illegal businesses last year to sustain the campaign started by Mayor Braulio Yaranon before his suspension.
The closure is based on the provisions of the City Tax Ordinance and Presidential Decree (PD) 856, which prohibit any person to operate any business without business permit. (Aileen Refuerzo)
