GenSan sets crackdown vs businesses operating sans permits

GENERAL SANTOS CITY--The city government will launch another round of inspections and enforcement activities in the coming days against businesses that are operating without proper licenses or permits.

Geraldine Zamora, chief of the city’s business permits and licensing division, said Monday the move is mainly targeted against establishments within the city’s 26 barangays that still failed to register or renew their business permits.

Zamora said they will also check businesses that were issued with temporary permits but failed to fully comply with the necessary licenses within the prescribed 90-day period.

“We will padlock these erring establishments outright and impose the other necessary penalties,” she said in a radio interview.   

Zamora said they would be allowed to reopen if their owners secure the required permits within 30 days.  

Depending the extent of the violations, she said they have the option to cancel the licenses of negligent businesses.

These establishments would only be allowed to reopen through a two-thirds vote of members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod or city council, she said.

The official said they are still in the process of updating their records but noted that they have monitored a significant number of businesses that were still operating without permits.

She said they launched initial inspections last February and issued compliance notices against a number of establishments.

Citing their assessment, some businesses had a hard time complying with the requirements due to lack of building and occupancy permits.

Zamora said such problem was prevalent among businesses that are renting spaces or buildings that lack necessary facilities and failed government standards.

During the 20-day annual registration for business permits last January, the city government was able to process a total of 9,090 business permits and collected P66,270,155.97 in revenues.

As of last week, the local government already issued around 9,900 business permits, nearing its target of 11,000 for this year.

The local government had unveiled a revamped business permits and licensing system that allowed the issuance of business permits in two hours or even less.

From the previous 15 steps, which usually take two to three days to complete, the city government has cut down the process to just three to fast track their issuance. (PNA)