THE Davao City Business Bureau has recorded a total of 36,326 registered business establishments in the city, as of June this year.
Business Bureau chief Marissa Torentera said there might be changes in the figures since there are establishments that are either new, re-registered, or retired.
Torentera said the issued business permits are mostly comprised of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
At present, she said the bureau is still updating the list from time-to-time.
As to the number of unregistered business establishments, she said they are still finalizing the numbers. But she assured that they are conducting weekly.
“We are issuing notices from time-to-time, especially ‘tong mga wala nakarenew since ang expiration sa business permit is December 31 (especially those who weren’t able to renew their permits since it expires by December 31),” Torentera said.
Meanwhile, she said they have not yet monitored any investment schemes that illegally operate due to lack of necessary permits like business and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) permits.
The bureau, on May, issued cease and desist order (CDO) to Jogle Marketing and Rigen Marketing for operating without necessary permits.
Torentera also said they will be strict in the issuance of business permits next year as they will be enforcing the City Ordinance 0506-13, requiring all companies employing more than 10 persons to have an anti-drug abuse program or a drug-free workplace policy.
The ordinance requires firms, with a minimum of 10 employees, to have a program to educate their employees, their families, and the communities on the ill-effects of illegal drugs, how to treat drug addiction and how to recover from or manage it.
Torentera, however, said the ordinance will not “scare” the investors to put up their business in the city.
She said the ordinance has been approved in 2013, but there were delays in the implementing rules and regulations (IRR).
She added that the city is just enforcing the ordinance, which she believes is beneficial to both the management and the employees.
“I don’t think this will scare the investors. Because they know for a fact that this is the hometown of the President, and they know that he is against drugs,” Torentera said.
She said the Business Bureau will be requiring a Certificate of Compliance coming from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA, starting the renewal of business permit in January 2020.