THE Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) has ordered local government units (LGUs) not to require location clearance for businesses inside malls and central business districts (CBDs) when applying for business permits as announced on Friday, January 10, 2020.

Despite the Business Bureau having yet to receive the order, it will not greatly affect the business permit application processes in Davao City since it is already being done in the city.

“Wala na man pud mi nag-require og locational clearance sa mga establishments sa sulod sa mall,” said Marissa Torentera.

(We are not requiring locational clearance from establishments inside the malls)

Torentera said the locational clearance is issued by the City Planning and Development Office (CPDO).

If the CPDO disapproves of the locational clearance, the business permit application will also not push through.

In a Facebook live, Jeremiah Belgica, Anti-Red Tape Authority (Arta) director-general, announced the issuance of Memorandum Order 2020-01 which orders the LGUs to exempt business establishments located inside malls and CBDs from requiring the submission of locational clearance and zoning ordinance.

Belgica said the locational clearance for businesses inside malls and CBDs is redundant since these bigger establishments are presumed to have complied with the requirement.

The order, he said, aims to cut the processing time of business permit application and renewal as mandated by the Ease of Doing Business Act of 2018.

It also asks cities and municipalities to make their Comprehensive Land Use Plan available and accessible to the public.

The memorandum also calls for the conduct of risk-profiling of business permit applications and renewal based on its geographical location and post auditing of business tenants located within malls and CBDs.

The memorandum is not yet available on the Arta website.