Mandaue to open one-stop shop for business permit transactions

CEBU, Philippines – The Mandaue City government is set to open one-stop shops at the City Hall and the sports complex for the renewal of business permits from January 2 to 20.

City Treasurer Regal Oliva said that, during the past years, the renewals were done inside shopping malls but now that these places are "crammed up" with boutiques, the city government decided to have these done next year at the Mandaue City Sports Complex and at the City Hall.

Oliva said those with bulk transactions, like bookkeepers holding 30 or more accounts, will go to the City Hall for processing, while those with lesser number of accounts, they will have the sports complex for the same purpose.

This one-stop shop will allow business permits renewal and registration easy as all the applicants will have to present all the necessary requirements and the transaction will be done within the day.

The business tax has been the highest earner of Mandaue in terms of local income. Last year, it collected P320 million from business tax alone.

And while some local government units are offering discounts for advanced payment of real property tax, Oliva said this is not done in Mandaue, and he will not recommend for it.

"We don't have discounts for advanced payment. You get a discount if you pay before January 1 of the succeeding year, but we don't have that ordinance here and I'm not recommending it," he said without elaborating why. —/RAE (FREEMAN)