THE ILOILO City Business Permit and Licensing Office (BPLO) sees the need to come up with local regulation for online businesses and food trucks as the number of such enterprises is on the rise. “With these kinds of businesses, we also need an ordinance to regulate them. If the ambulant vendors in the city have been regulated, these food trucks should also be regulated as well,” BPLO head Norman F. Tabud said in an interview. For online businesses, Mr. Tabud said these should be registered and pay appropriate taxes and fees to the government. “Based on my observation, most of the online businesses that apply for business permits are those that are required to issue (official) receipts,” he said.

“We are also strategizing on how we can encourage them to apply and secure business permits.” Meanwhile, the BPLO is expecting to issue 2,000 new business permits this year. In 2019, a total of 16,391 businesses were issued permits. The BPLO is operating on extended office hours from Jan. 2–20 for the processing of permit renewals.

INSPECTION
Mayor Jerry P. Treñas has also ordered the inspections of all business establishments to ensure compliance to permits and licenses. In Memorandum Order No. 19-223, Mr. Treñas directed the BPLO, Bureau of Fire and Protection, City Tourism and Development Office, and the City Treasurer’s Office to conduct the joint inspections starting Jan 21. Recently, the city government discovered that the Malabanan Siphoning Service, with head office in Manila, has been conducting business in the city without the necessary permits. “When I called their attention, it was only then that I found out that they have no permit. (They are) all over the city. I don’t want such things to happen because if you are a business operating in the city you have to secure a permit,” the mayor said. — Emme Rose S. Santiagudo

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