Cebu, Lapu-Lapu cities start processing business permits

Tables manned by City Treasurer’s Office personnel are set up at the Lapu-Lapu City Hall lobby to accomodate the business owners who are processing the renewal or applications of business permits. (CDN PHOTO/NORMAN MENDOZA)

Cebu City has SM City Cebu One Stop Shop; Lapu-Lapu extends hours, opens on weekends

The Cebu City Treasurer’s Office is expecting to collect at least P1.5 billion this month as the office starts the processing of the renewal and new applications of business permits in the city.

“Since SM Seaside City Cebu and Robisons Galleria opened last year, we are expecting a bigger revenue from them,” said City Treasurer Diwa Cuevas in an interview yesterday.

Cuevas said that January last year, the CTO collected P800 million.

Yesterday, Cuevas also reminded business owners that the CTO’s renewal and new applications of business permits will only be processed until January 20.

Business owners who fail to renew their business permits in the scheduled date will be made to pay a two percent interest per month and a 25 percent surcharge of their gross sales.

Cuevas, however, said that the CTO is requesting the City Council to extend the processing of business permits until January 30.

But until the City Council approves the request, the business permit-processing deadline stays at January 20, she said.

The processing of the business permits will be done at the City Treasurer’s Office and at a One-Stop-Shop at the SM City Cebu, which opens at 9 a.m. and closes at 6 p.m.

The City Treasurer’s Office at Cebu City Hall will observe regular office hours to process the permits.

Cuevas also reminded owners, who wish to apply for a business permit, to secure a barangay clearance, a sanitary permit from the City Health Office and a fire permit from the Bureau of Fire before they will be given a business permit from the city.

LAPU-LAPU CITY

Aside from Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu City has also started the processing of business permits yesterday.

To give business owners ample time to get their business permits, the Lapu-Lapu Treasurer’s Office will open from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. on weekdays and will be available for business permit applicants on weekends starting from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Felicitas Baguio, assistant City Treasurer, reminds owners to get their business permits on time or until the deadline on January 20.

Baguio warned that they will pay a 2 percent surcharge per month and 25 percent penalty from their gross sales if they fail to beat the deadline.

Baguio said they expect around 13,000 businesses including around 2,000 to 3,000 new businesses to process their business permits this month.

The Lapu-Lapu Treasurer’s Office has also adopted the One-Stop-Shop procedure in the processing of the permits at the CTO office in the Lapu-Lapu City Hall.

Baguio assures that their business permits will be processed in a matter of minutes granting that the business owners have the complete requirements.

She also advised business owners to be ready with their complete requirements such as the building permit and the fencing permit.