CLGCFI Recognizes Outstanding Central Luzon LGUs in Streamlining the BPLS

On 17th May 2017, the Central Luzon Growth Corridor Foundation, Inc., in partnership with the Department of Trade & Industry-3 (DTI-3) and the Department of the Interior & Local Government-3 (DILG-3), held the 11th Recognition of Outstanding Central Luzon LGUs Implementing the Streamlining Program in the Issuance of Mayor’s Permit at Royce Hotel, Clark Freeport Zone.

This event recognized deserving local government units (LGUs) which have successfully implemented in 2016 the Nationwide Streamlining of the Business Permits & Licensing Systems (BPLS) Program under the DTI-DILG Joint Memorandum Circular No. 01, Series of 2010, and which have effectively put in place innovations and support mechanisms to further enhance the business environment in the LGU.

The Central Luzon experience in streamlining the BPLS dates back in 2002 when CLGCFI, DTI-3 and DILG-3 adopted as flagship the Streamlining Program in the Issuance of Mayor’s Permit, making it one of the earliest BPLS streamlining practitioners in the Philippines. By 2007, the region championed BPLS streamlining in all 130 LGUs region-wide through the documentation and implementation of reduced number of steps and amount of processing time in the issuance of the Mayor’s Permit. During this same year, the CLGCFI began recognizing the outstanding implementers of the streamlining project and has since become an annual event.

The 11th awarding ceremony was formally opened by CLGCFI President and Tarlac Governor Susan A. Yap. In her message as the new president, Governor Yap acknowledged the efforts of the foundation in the past years and declared to continue what it has started towards the creation of a business and investment enabling environment. CLGCFI, she said, promotes trade, investment, tourism, public-private sector partnership, ease of doing business, and human resource development

On this event that signified victory in fighting red tape in the region, she congratulated the LGU awardees for their responsible leadership to ensure the ease of doing business for business establishments, SMEs and investors. She also called for continued competitiveness and good governance.

Formally introduced by DTI-3 Regional Director Judith Angeles as the guest of honor and keynote speaker, Mr. Guillermo Luz, National Competitiveness Council (NCC) Co-Chair for Private Sector, presented the updates on the Philippines’ report card and rankings on various international competitiveness surveys. In this playing field, competition never sleeps, he said, and the bar always rises, he added.

To realize the ease of doing business, he emphasized the need to work together among the public and private sectors, national government agencies (NGAs) and LGUs, instead of working independently to improve their own systems. He challenged the LGUs and NGAs for the creation and use of a single portal for the true online processing of permits covering a wide range of national and local government processes; or that one central point where application, renewal or cancellation of permits may be done; or even the use of mobile phones to get all the permits.

Outstanding Central Luzon LGUs in Streamlining the BPLS in 2016

To guide the audience prior to the awarding of winners, DILG-3 Regional Director Julie Daquioag presented the program components, validation process, external monitoring teams, awards categories, criteria and prizes.

The following LGUs awardees were recognized for their compliance with the program’s service standards that calls for the simplification and standardization of BPLS by implementing maximum processing time of 5-10 days for new and 5 days for renewal, 5 steps, 2 signatories, and the adoption of the unified form, as well as for their innovative programs to further expedite the issuance of Mayor’s Permit in terms of IT, customer relations, and institutionalization of reforms.

Central Luzon LGUs in the Top 10 of the 2016 CMCI

The event also served as the venue for the regional awarding of Central Luzon cities and municipalities that made it in the top ten of the 2016 Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index (CMCI). The CMCI is an annual ranking of Philippine cities and municipalities that assesses their competitiveness in the pillars of Economic Dynamism, Government Efficiency, and Infrastructure.

Out of the 1,389 local governments that participated in the 2016 CMCI, 125 came from Central Luzon. The commitment of the LGUs and the partnership between and among the RDC-3 Special Committee on Competitiveness, DTI-3, DILG-3, NEDA-3, and selected academic institutions in the provinces (ASCOT, BPSU, BulSU, CLSU, NEUST, AUF, TSU, CCI), made this participation possible.