BACOLOD City Mayor Evelio Leonardia requested the City Council to extend the Business One-Stop-Shop (Boss) and the deadline of payment for business permits from January 20 to February 28.

This, after Leonardia received a request from the Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry to extend the filing of permits and deadline of the first quarter payment of tax.

The mayor is hopeful the City Council will grant the request because, in the previous years, the same request by the business group was also approved by the August body.

From January 3 to 8, the Permits and Licensing Division already registered a total of 6,281 business establishments.

“I’m happy with this development because it only shows that we sustain as a business-friendly city, and it’s very important,” Leonardia said.

In 2018, Bacolod registered a total of 23,177 business establishments or with an increase of 5.33 percent compared to 22,004 establishments registered in 2017.

Meanwhile, Leonardia said they will send official communication to the village chief of Barangay 10 who failed to send their representatives for the Boss.

“If they fail to send a representative at the Bacolod Government Center, we will refer this to the City Legal Office and report it to the Department of the Interior and Local Government, but in the meantime, we appeal for his sense of patriotism in terms of public service,” Leonardia said.

The Boss, which includes representatives from the City Health Office, Bureau of Fire Protection, Office of the Building Official, Environment and Natural Resources Office, and the barangays, started on January 3 and will run until January 20.

The Boss aims to provide convenience and accessibility to the taxpayers.

Executive Assistant Samuel Montoyo, a member of Anti-Red Tape core team, earlier said that the erring barangay officials who failed to join Boss will be charged for disobedience or refusing the lawful order.

Montoyo said it is the responsibility of the barangay officials to comply with the Republic Act 11032 or an Act promoting ease of doing business and efficient delivery of government services, amending for the purpose of RA 9484 or the Anti-Red Tape Act of 2007. (MAP)