Lapu-Lapu to penalize late business permit renewals

CEBU, Philippines - Around 7,241 establishments have renewed their business permits at the Lapu-Lapu City Treasurer’s Office from January 1 to 22 this year.

Three hundred more are set to apply for authorization by February.

City Treasurer Elenita Catagcatag announced in a news conference that several establishments have failed to meet the January 20 deadline and although they can still renew their business permits, they will be meted a surcharge of 25 percent for missing the deadline.

City Mayor Paz Radaza earlier instructed 36 barangays, as well as the City Hall to operate on January 10,11,17, and 18 to accommodate business transactions to allow companies to meet the target date.

Last year, the office documented 6,705 establishments and 192 business institutions.

The City Treasurer’s Office expects to have the complete data of new registered businesses by next month.

“The new establishments will most likely [register] in the month of February because they know nga dili sila maka-surcharge, dili sila maapil sa dasok sa renewal,” she said.

Among the establishments that have renewed their permits are general merchandise, tourism-related businesses such as hotels and resorts as well as export-oriented establishments such as the PEZA (Philippine Economic Processing Zone) Industries of Cebu Light Industrial Park and Mactan Economic Processing Zone 1 and 2.

Meanwhile, Catagcatag said businesses that failed to renew their permits are yet to be determined and will be notified for business negligence.

“If dili sila ka renew, adtoon gyud sila, pa renew-hun gyud nato. Naa man ta’y processes, notices of the delinquencies and mo-set ta ana og copy sa delinquency nila,” she said.

An increase of tax collection in the future is expected according to Catagcatag since Lapu-Lapu City is progressing fast owing to new business developments such as Megaworld’s

Mactan Newtown and the rehabilitation of the Mactan-Cebu International Airport.  — (FREEMAN)