Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) Director-General Jeremiah Belgica called on local government units (LGUs) to extend the period of renewal of business permits and payment of real property tax until the end of the first quarter of the year, citing the recent surge in coronavirus (COVID-19) cases.
The period of renewal of business permits is from January 3 to 20 but local chief executives have the power to extend this period.
In a statement, Belgica said it was a time for public officials to approach situations with more compassion and sensitivity.
"With record-breaking numbers of COVID-19 cases being announced almost every day, we at ARTA believe it is only right to extend the period of renewal of business permits," he said.
"Public health should be the government’s topmost priority right now. People traveling to city halls to renew their business permits and pay their real property tax would not help in curbing the spread of the virus," he added.
In line with this, Belgica reminded LGUs to fully automate their business permitting and licensing systems in compliance with the Ease of Doing Business Act.
“We are again calling on the LGUs to set up their electronic business one-stop shops. Doing so will allow both the public and government employees to conduct their business-related transactions in a safe, contactless, and convenient way, which is ideal especially during this pandemic,” he said.
In November last year, Malacañang issued Memorandum Circular No. 57, directing all local chief executives to submit their progress reports to ARTA and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) with regard to their electronic business one-stop-shop (eBOSS) compliance.
ARTA has been coordinating with LGU leagues such as the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP), League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP), League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP), and League of Provinces of the Philippines to ensure the LGUs’ compliance with the ease of doing business law.