private sector speaks up
Cagayan de Oro City – Capitol University released last June 19 2010 the results of its survey on the impact of the city’s licensing processes to the business community.
Dr. Numeriano G. Escalante, the Director of the Research and Extension Office of the university, presented to the officers and employees of the city hall the partial results of a study that involved interviews, focus group discussions and survey among Cagayan de Oro business establishments.
The respondents from the private sector related their experiences with business permitting processes, whether they are registering for the first time, renewing their registration, on the process of registering, or have not accomplished their registration.
The survey was conducted through a purposive sampling among owners, managers and bookkeepers of local business establishments. The survey findings included feedback, among others, on the existing process of securing a business permit, the most difficult requirement to comply with and the time associated with that requirement, the assessment mechanism for business renewals, and the length of time in the issuance of the business permit.
The survey showed that the barangay clearance and the fire safety certificate are two of the most difficult business permit pre-application requirements to secure. On the other hand, the assessment portion was reported as the most difficult step in the business licensing process.
The partial results of the survey were presented during the local government unit’s business permit and licensing system (BPLS) streamlining workshop last week. Acknowledging the difficulties in the system as experienced and narrated by the various private sector survey respondents, city hall officers and employees shall use the results as a guide in the ongoing project of BPLS streamlining.
Reacting to the survey, the local government officers agreed that shortening the permitting process into three steps only and further professionalizing the delivery of services shall improve the satisfaction level of the business community and entice more establishments to register.
The survey was conducted by Capitol University with the support of the Local Implementation of National Competitiveness for Economic Growth (LINC-EG), a USAID-funded policy reform and implementation project.
The full survey results shall be presented to the incoming mayor, Hon. Vicente Emano, for his appreciation.
