THE Mandaue City Government has extended the deadline for business permit applications and the payment of business taxes to provide relief and added convenience to business owners affected by recent calamities.
Lawyer August Lizer Malate, head of the Business Permit and Licensing Office (BPLO), announced that the extension is authorized under an ordinance sponsored by Councilor Joel Seno and approved by the city administration of Mayor Thadeo Jovito “Jonkie” Ouano.
Under the ordinance, the original deadline of January 20, 2026 for business permit applications has been moved to January 25, 2026.
Malate said business owners who are able to submit their applications online on or before January 25 will not be considered late filers.
These applicants will also be given until January 31, 2026 to settle their business tax payments without incurring any penalties, surcharges, or additional fees.
Malate said the decision to extend the deadline was made in consideration of the difficulties faced by business owners following the recent natural events that disrupted operations and daily activities in the city.
“This extension was granted to give more leeway and convenience to our business owners, especially after what the city has gone through,” Malate said.
He clarified, however, that applications submitted after January 25 will be considered late and will no longer be prioritized for processing.
Late applications will be subject to a 25 percent surcharge, with an additional two percent interest imposed for every month of delay thereafter.
These applications will be processed starting February.
Despite the high volume of applications, Malate said the BPLO has seen a significant improvement in early compliance this year.
He noted that compared to last year, more business owners filed for renewal during the first days of January.
According to Malate, around 11,000 business permit applications have already undergone preliminary processing, contributing to the current volume of transactions being handled by the office.
He assured business owners that the City Government is aware of the workload and has taken steps to address it through the approved extension.
“There are many applications being processed, so business owners should not worry,” Malate said. “The administration issued this ordinance to ensure that as long as they file within the period, or until January 25, their applications will be processed accordingly.”
The City Government encouraged business owners to take advantage of the extended deadline to avoid penalties and ensure the smooth processing of their permits. (ABC)