CTO opens One-Stop-Shop for biz permit renewals at SM Mall starting Jan. 2

The Cebu City Treasurer’s Office will open a One-Stop-Shop for business permit renewals at the SM City Mall starting on Thursday, January 2, 2020. | CDND File Photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines – The Cebu City government will open a One-Stop-Shop processing for business permit renewal at the second floor of the SM City Cebu at the North Reclamation Area starting at 9 a.m. on Thursday, January 2, 2020.

Priority numbers will be distributed in the area from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.  The city’s One-Stop-Shop will only be open from Mondays to Fridays and until January 31, 2020.

Lawyer Jared Limquiaco, head of the city’s Business and Licensing Permit Office, said the One-Stop-Shop was initially scheduled to last only until January 20, but requests coming from the business sector prompted them to extend their operation at the SM Mall until the end of the month.

“Unta mo take advantage sila ani kay sa two years na ang validity sa business permit. (I hope that businesses will take advantage of this program because the validity of our business permits have already been extended to two years.) Everything they need in the processing (of their permits) will already be (made available) in the One-Stop-Shop,” Limquiaco told CDN Digital.

Those who will fail to have their business permits renewed at the city’s One-Stop-Shop will have to proceed to the City Treasurer’s Office at the Cebu City Hall for their transactions.

Limquiaco also warned them of penalties that would include the payment of late processing fees ranging from P5,ooo to P20,000 for their failure to meet the January 31 deadline.

To avoid the payment of penalties, Limquiaco is asking businessmen to visit their One-Stop-Shop that is located at the SM Mall’s second floor, the space that used to be occupied by the Visayan Electric Company (Veco).

But Real Property Tax (RPT) payments will be made in another area located at the mall’s 3rd level fronting Jollibee.

“Special lanes will be assigned for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), senior citizens and pregnant women,” says an advisory from Acting City Treasurer Juanita Monina Paires that was posted on the Cebu City Public Information Office Facebook page.

“For corporate owners who will be filing (their business permit applications) through their authorized representatives or corporate officers, (they) must present the necessary Special Power of Attorney (SPA),” Paires added.

Taxpayers are advised to fill out all the necessary forms including the Environment Sustainable Action Plan (ESAP) form which can be downloaded from www.cebucity.gov.ph. starting on Dec. 30, 2019.  They are also advised to bring the other requirements to facilitate the immediate processing of their business permit renewals.

“The (operation of the) One-Stop-Shop is one way of giving our taxpayers ease of doing business in Cebu City,” Paires said. / bjmo