Muntinlupa named most business friendly LGU

The Muntinlupa city government led by Mayor Jaime Fresnedi will be named by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) at the EDSA Shangri-La Hotel on Thursday as the most business-friendly local government unit, besting all other cities in Metro Manila.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will be the guest of honor.

The city was picked by PCCI from among the nominated cities due to its many innovative ways of speeding up business transactions to better serve the public. For one, the city’s building official issues permits in a short period of only five days; compared to the normal 15-day period as stated in the Building Code of the Philippines.

Occupancy permits can also be acquired in a matter of five days as against the lengthy 45-day period practiced by other cities.

Building official Roberto Bunyi said the improved system is designed to cut the bureaucratic process as well as prevent corruption. A permit needs 11 signatories before being issued, Bunyi says, so an applicant is directed to make follow-ups with only one person to elevate the level of public service.

On the other hand, the ISO 9002-certified City Assessor’s Office, headed by Florencio Ciriaco, is credited for the award because of its equally fast and systematic method of issuing tax declarations in only 30 minutes. Payment of real property taxes takes only 10 minutes. Ciriaco says it took only three months for his office to be ISO-certified because of improved procedures.

The PCCI board of judges also chose Muntinlupa for its one-stop-shop business center organized by the Business Permit and License Office led by Gary Llamas. The year-round one-stop-shop processes business permits in only 30-minutes when all requirements are complete. The center is also designed by the BPLO to eliminate red tape. Llamas said recently, the city was also cited by the Department of Interior and Local Government as business-friendly.

Another factor which contributed to winning the award is the weekly Lingkod Bayan newsletter and television program produced by the city’s Public Information Office headed by Tez Valencia-Navarro, to reach out to constituents, as well as to inform them of ongoing programs and projects.