TRADE and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez on Friday lauded Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista for the establishment of a one-stop shop for “ease in doing business.”
At a news conference at the Quezon City Hall, Lopez commended the local government for the implementation of a one-stop shop system in the registration of new business permits, and issuance of locational clearances and fire safety permits.
“The basic principle [here] is you file [an application] and just sit down, [then] you will be called to pay [the fees]. You can have free coffee, too,” he told reporters.
“That is a priority of President Rodrigo Duterte. That is what he wants—to ensure doing business in the country,” he said.
Bautista, for his part, thanked Guillermo Luz of the National Competitiveness Council and Undersecretary Austere Panadero of the Department of the Interior and Local Government for their assistance.
“We will continue to improve our system in the registration of new businesses and land titles, and applications for building permits. With the help of the NCC, DTI, DILG and other concerned agencies, we [the city] were able to cut short the process,” he said.
Bautista earlier issued Executive Order Nos. 11 and 11A to create a one-stop shop “complete with concierge assisting all new business applicants from start to finish.”
A faster service can also be expected for the issuance of locational clearances and fire safety certifications.
Bautista gave the public the assurance that applications that are complete in documentations may be approved quickly within the day.
"We thank the mayor for putting this effort," Luz said.
"We hope other cities would follow suit. May be, take a look at Quezon City's one-stop shop as a new three-in-one—assessment, pay and [a cup of] coffee," he added.
After a soft launch last Feb. 12, the one-stop shop is now fully operational at the 14th floor of the city hall's high-rise building, Bautista said.
