OBO vows no more backlog next year

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu City’s Office of the Building Official (OBO) vowed to process the building permit applications within 15 working days, as mandated by the law.

This as OBO Chief Josefa Ylanan said her office was given four architects and four civil engineers last week of October to augment the number of employees of her office.

“As of today (yesterday), atong pending permit sa structural section is 16 applications and sa architectural is 11 applications nalang,” she said.

Ylanan said these 27 pending applications include commercial, low-rise, high-rise, and residential buildings that will be constructed in Cebu City.

Before her office was given additional manpower, she said backlogs would reach 100 since 60 pending applications would be from one section while the other section has also another 40 pending applications.

Ylanan vowed that her office will work to fast track the release of the building permits as it would also affect the processing for the business permit application.

“Hopefully, we can be abreast of permitting. Beginning next year, dili nata mag backlog. So wala napod business permit nga malangan kay mga business permits nato are dependent on our certificate of occupancy,” she said.

One of the reasons for the accumulation of backlogs is the lack of manpower and the other is the outdated computer system of the office, she said.

Ylanan said she is hoping that the additional manpower would help address the backlogs in the office.

She hoped that all pending applications will be worked on before the year ends so that her office will be entertaining new applications next year.

“Our backlogs are getting lower na. Hopefully by the end of the month, zero nata para start nata og bag-o next year,” she said.

She said her office is also asking the City Administrator’s Office to look for a bigger space for them since her staff cannot lay down the applications and plans of the applicants because of the limited space.

Ylanan said she is hoping that her request will be acted upon since their operations will also affect the processing of business permits.(FREEMAN)