DESPITE earning only about P7,000 a month, Maricel Fat was among those who renewed her business permit during the first day of operation of the Cebu City Government’s one-stop shop at the Robinsons Galleria on Friday, Jan. 4.
Fat owns Maricel Sari-sari store in the upland barangay of Toong.
“We were told to get business permits. That’s why since I started selling three years ago, I’ve really had with me my business permit,” she said.
Fat said she preferred to renew her business permit in the one-stop shop because it takes only less than a day to process.
“Quicker, faster”
She arrived at the mall around 10 a.m. She was among the first 300 taxpayers who processed the renewal of their business permits last Friday.
“Based on experience, I finish the renewal of my business permit before 5 p.m. The assessment and evaluation stages take time, but once you’re done with them, other steps are faster to transact,” Fat said.
Hundreds more arrived throughout the day to renew their business permits.
Mayor Tomas Osmeña had encouraged owners to register and renew their business permits to avoid closure of their businesses.
Osmeña said the City Government would grant provisional business permits to owners who had a hard time completing their requirements as long as they paid their tax due.
City Treasurer Arlene Rentuza said the first day of the one-stop shop’s operation was in order despite the number of people.
Rentuza said they had yet to determine the exact number of people who paid their business taxes as of 4 p.m. last Friday.
The one-stop shop is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. until Jan. 25.