PRESIDENTIAL Assistant to the Visayas Secretary Michael Lloyd Dino expressed support for the plan of Cebu City mayor-elect Edgardo Labella to extend the validity of the business permit to two years.

Dino said the move is pro-business and will make the City “business friendly” as it will encourage traders to register their businesses since it will be more convenient for them as they will be doing it only once every two years while taxes will be paid annually.

Dino also alluded to the fact that some mayors use business permits as a tool “to terrorize, bully and blackmail” the business sector while lauding Labella for the proposal, for this is in line with President Rodrigo Duterte’s mandate in streamlining government processes.

Under Duterte’s administration, the President made government processes easier by making passports valid for 10 years and driver’s license valid for five years.

For his part, National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) 7 Regional Director Efren Carreon said Labella’s plan will make the City an efficient government to deal with.

“I am personally happy if the plan for a two-year business registration will push through because it will really support the business sector in terms of the ease of doing business and this is a very direct translation of the law that will make ease of doing business part of the systems of government,” Carreon said.

He added that this will make the business situation of the city and the region more dynamic and more progressive.

Carreon also encouraged all other local government units in the region to follow the plan of Labella. (RVC)