Issuance of permits suspended; market fees waived
The Business Process Licensing Office’s satellite office at the SM City Cebu has helped make the registration of business permits more convenient to business owners. | Cebu City Public Information Office FB
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City government will not be issuing any permits while the city is under general community quarantine for the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).
In a memorandum, Mayor Edgardo Labella, ordered the Business Processing and Licensing Office (BPLO) to temporarily suspend the processing of applications for permits and licenses until April 14, 2020 or the lifting of the State of General Community Quarantine in the city.
Instead, the BPLO is tasked to focus their manpower in checking if all establishments in the city have complied with the closures and the curfew.
“You are directed to focus on inspection for compliance of establishments to the various Executive Orders issued in relation to the safety and precautionary measures against COVID-19.
Read more: Business establishments urged: Heed curfew or else …
Recently, the city has closed down malls, recreational spaces, bars, fitness centers, gambling places, spas, internet cafes, sports centers, and video karaoke houses.
The mayor said these places must be checked if they continued to operate. Violating the temporary closure order risks an establishment’s business permit.
Read more: Malls, sports centers, spas, internet cafes closed in Cebu City
The establishments that are allowed to continue operating such as grocery stores, hardware stores, banks, and money transfers should also follow the curfew of 8 p.m.
Pharmacies will be allowed to operate beyond the curfew because they sell medical commodities needed to combat the COVID-19.
Meanwhile, the collection of fees for markets is also suspended as the city is in general community quarantine.
This is to help the vendors cope as supply entry into the markets has decreased when the ports of Cebu island are closed.
By waiving the fees, the vendors would no longer need to raise prices even with decreased supply.
Rental fees, landing fees, parking fees, and entrance fees are waived until the lifting of the community quarantine. /dbs
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