OPERATIONS. Anti-Red Tape Authority head Secretary Jeremiah Belgica (2nd from right) gathers information from workers around the Land Transportation Office main office on East Avenue, Quezon City on June 15, 2021. Belgica and his team posted reminders not to patronize and report fixers after his undersecretary, retired Brig. Gen. Carlos Quita, was himself victimized. (PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler)
MANILA – The Pasay city government cautioned against fixers or individuals engaged in the illegal processing of business permits and work documents.
This, after the city’s Business Permits and Licensing Office (BPLO) received reports that some business permits and other similar documents were acquired through fixers and turned out to be faked.
"The public is advised not to deal with fixers in processing their business or work permits, licenses, or any other documents. Fixers would face the full force of the law for their illegal practice," the BLPO said in an advisory.
Mayor Emi Calixto-Rubiano said the city government will run after individuals involved in illegal activities.
"I am advising the public to not deal with these fixers but instead transact only with authorized local government unit (LGU) personnel and go through the appropriate process which is actually simple and can be accomplished expeditiously," she said in a statement on Saturday.
Citing a June 17, 2021 incident, BPLO head Michelle Pardo said a businessman presented a copy of his permit to the city hall personnel to request a certified true copy.
The businessman's permit was found to be fake.
"The businessman admitted that this document was provided to him by a fixer whose services he utilized in exchange for a certain amount after the latter claimed to have connections at the BPLO and that he could process his permit application fast," Pardo said in an interview.
"Also recently, a job aspirant who was processing his work permit at the BPLO discovered that the Health Certificate, which is a requirement for the work permit, obtained by a fixer for him was also discovered to be fake," she added.
She said patronizing fixers will only cause delay in transactions unlike when going through legal and proper procedures.
"The processing of the permits and licenses at City Hall is actually simple, especially with the rolling out of the online systems for these transactions and the recent launch of the City Information Kiosk," she said.
Since the onslaught of the pandemic, the city government has improved its services by launching online portals that will allow residents to easily transact.
Rubiano also urged her constituents to report similar illegal activities.
"The Pasay City government is very strict against unofficial transactions and fixers. I am thus calling on any individuals who may have any information on fixers plying their illegal trade in City Hall’s premises or who may have been approached by these fixers offering their illegal services, to immediately report this to the BPLO, the Mayor’s Office, or to the security officers at the City Hall’s entrance for appropriate and prompt actions," she said. (PNA)
