The Davao City Business Bureau received a satisfactory evaluation after a surprise compliance audit by the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) on May 4, 2020. The audit involved the inspection of Business Bureau’s compliance with the Republic Act (RA) 11032 or the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018.
In a zoom interview with the City Information Office (CIO) Wednesday, Business Bureau Head Maribel Paguican said that ARTA Director-General Jeremiah Belgica paid a courtesy call to their office after the surprise inspection. Director-General Belgica gave a “no action needed” recommendation for the office’s operations as it found the bureau’s compliances satisfactory. The inspection reports by ARTA reached the City Mayor’s Office and earned the bureau a commendation from Mayor Inday Sara Duterte, said Paguican.
According to Paguican, prior to the nationwide implementation, certain provisions within RA 11032 concerning business permit application and licensing processes were already being implemented by the Davao City Business Bureau through city ordinances passed by the Sangguniang Panlungsod.
“Among the provision naa na didto number one is the single or unified application form. Dapat isa lang ka application form. And, Davao City, before the advent of this law, complying na man ta ani daan kay sa una isa ra man ka form atong ginapadagan … And then number two na provision is the one-stop- shop business facilitation. Before this law in 2018, as early as 2004, we already had an ordinance, kadtong 0024-04 series of 2004, mandating tong mga opisina sa Davao City to have a one-stop-shop facilitation and electronic business one-stop-shop … Ang pinakabug-at gyud na icomply sa mga LGUs kaning one-time issuance sa mga permits. I-integrate nato ang barangay clearance, i-integrate nato ang fire-safety inspection fee sa usa lang ka resibo; one-time assessment and one-time payment. Og, gitan-aw gyud na ni Secretary, gipaprovide ta sa mga resibo and then nakita gyud niya didto.” (Among the provisions of the Republic Act, number one is the single or unified application. There should only be one application form. And, Davao City, before the advent of this law had already complied with this because we only issue one application form … And then number two provision is the one-stop-shop business facilitation. Before this law in 2018, as early as 2004, we already had the city ordinance 0024-04 series of 2004, which mandates all Davao City Offices to have one-stop-shop facilitation and electronic business one-stop-shop … The most difficult provision to comply with is the one mandating the one-time issuance of permits. We had to integrate the barangay clearances, and the fire safety inspection fee in just one receipt; one-time assessment and one-time payment. And Secretary Belgica inspected this. He asked for the receipts, which we provided and he saw.”
Although the business bureau received a full compliance evaluation insofar as ease of service and streamlined operations, Paguican said there is still a problem with connectivity with national government agencies; a glitch in the bureau’s otherwise excellent evaluation that they plan to rectify this year.
“Sabi niya (Director-General Jeremiah Belgica), na-recommend naman tayo na the DICT will come and visit one day. Hopefully by June … Tech people na ito, ang gagawa nito, so hopefully it’s a mandate na from the DILG that we will link with national agencies”. (Director Belgica has already recommended us. Hopefully, the DICT will come and visit by June … The tech people will have to do this, so hopefully this becomes a mandate from the DILG—that we will link with the national agencies.) CIO
