THE Office of the City Building Official (OBO) of Cagayan de Oro City collected P37.9 million in building, occupancy, electrical and related permit fees in the first two months of 2019, an official from OBO reported.

According to engineer Isidro Obligado of OBO, during a discussion in the City Government's television program called “Ang Cagayan de Oro... Kagahapon, Karon ug Ugma,” the collected P37.869 million from the months of January and February comprised the 43.83 percent of their total collections this year.

Obligado said the increase in the collection is due to the upgraded and fully-operational electronic Building Permit Management System (e-BPMS).

The e-BPMS, developed by the University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines, is an automated and computerized system where applicants can easily apply without getting into long queues and the tedious submission of requirements in the OBO.

They can also redeem their building permit sooner than before as the process are made easier and faster.

In 2018, the OBO, according to Obligado, collected a total of P86.4 million while in 2017, the said office collected P81.9 million.