Thursday, September 27, 2007 Koreans to legitimize biz operations in city By Carlo P. Mallo
TOURISM Regional Director Sonia V. Garcia Wednesday said a number of Koreans have expressed desire to legitimize their business operations in Davao City by applying for business permits from City Hall.
"We will provide them assistance in having their business ventures registered," Garcia said, adding "we also need their businesses and do not want to shoo them away."
The tourism official however failed to provide specific cases of Korean businessmen applying for permits.
Garcia said earlier some Koreans were of the mistaken belief that simply because they had married Filipina wives, they could already put up businesses without getting the needed license and other required papers.
"Usually they are not aware of the laws," Garcia added.
She added that operating a business without a permit is punishable under Philippine laws and a city ordinance. One of the punishments is expulsion from the country and deportation back to their country of origin.
Earlier, Garcia complained that aside from the absence of business permits, some tour operators catering to Koreans do not have even the necessary accreditation from the Department of Tourism (DOT).
It was learned that only three of these tour operators are accredited by the DOT.
The three accredited tour operators are the following: FastPass Tours, Joie de Vivre Travel and Tour, and TourDavao.com and Travel Corporation.
Garcia said illegal tour operators usually operate behind a legitimate business, like a restaurant.
But Garcia said they have no idea " as to how many of them are operating in the city."
"It is very difficult to give an estimate as to how many are fly by night as they are dependent on the Korean business... they come and go," Garcia said when prodded as to how many tour operators catering to Koreans are legal.
