(Photo by Philippine Information Agency – Philippine Information Agency, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=60493111)
MANILA— The Philippines is looking to improve its “ease of doing business” global ranking, as more local government units (LGUs) have streamlined their business permits and licensing processes, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said in a statement on Thursday.
DILG Officer-in-Charge Catalino S. Cuy said while the country got a dismal ranking in the ease of doing business report of the World Bank’s International Finance Corporation (IFC-WB) for 2018, the government is hopeful the country’s standing would greatly improve this year because of the increase in the number of LGUs that had enhanced their business permits processes.
“Many LGUs have heeded the call of President Rodrigo Duterte to raise their game and make their localities a haven of business and investment by streamlining their business processes. This is why we are keeping our fingers crossed that we will achieve a huge leap in the said global report,” Cuy said.
The IFC-WB’s latest “ease of doing business” global ranking has placed the Philippines on the 113th slot out of 190 countries.
According to Cuy, as of October 2017, 1,174 LGUs or cities and municipalities now have a one-day process for business permit renewals, and one to two days’ processing of new business permit applications. Meanwhile, 964 LGUs now have only three steps or less in their licensing procedures, the DILG said.
In terms of the required maximum of two signatories for business permits, 1,161 LGUs have so far complied, while 1,369 LGUs now use a single unified form for business permit applications.