One, the Pampanga Investment Promotion Office (PIPO) reported a 100% accomplishment in streamlining the business processing and issuance of permits as part of the government's improved frontline services. PIPO is the secretariat and implementing arm of the Pampanga Investment Board (PIB).
Rommel M. Pineda, PIPO officer-in-charge, said that all concerned offices in the 20 municipalities and two cities in Pampanga have been trained and have begun implementing the streamlined procedure in issuing licenses, including the newly installed Internal Monitoring System (IMS) and a Business-One-Stop-Shop (BOSS).
"This reduced the processing time in securing business permits and narrowed the possibility of red tape," Pineda explained.
With all requirements complete, Pineda assured, processing would take only 25 minutes, a world of improvement from months of waiting using the old system.
It will be recalled that during the first meeting of the PIB in July with Governor Eddie T. Panlilio, the governor proposed that the reduction of the cost of doing business with the government be made top priority.
The PIPO is likewise moving up the next level, according to Pineda, by focusing on eBusiness Permit and Licensing System (eBLPS). This involves a multi-module system which expands the local government's capabilities in the administration of business licensing in five key areas, namely application, assessment, payment, releasing, and reporting.
To date, Pineda reported, the municipalities of Guagua, Lubao, Magalang, Masantol, San Simon, Minalin, San Luis and Sto. Tomas are among the LGUs which have qualified for eBLPS after submitting an eGovernance Readiness Assessment to the Canadian Executive Service Organization (CESO).
The project is joint venture of the CESO, National Computer Center (NCC), Commission on Information and Communication Technology (CICT), Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the provincial government.
The second piece of good news is that the Provincial Cooperative and Entrepreneurial Development Office (PCEDO) of the provincial government has opened its doors to the Aku ing Bayung Entrepreneur (ABE) Livelihood Program.
The ABE program, according to the Provincial Information Office (PIO), is a collateral-free credit assistance program of the provincial government aimed at providing financial assistance to low-income cooperatives and individuals.
Although the program is yet to be launched officially, strides have been made to reach out to qualified individuals and cooperatives. According to PCEDO officer Mamerto Gatus, they have initially identified 30 entrepreneurs whose loan approvals were due by mid-November. The loan amount is a maximum of P5,000 and payable within one year.
Recently, the Provincial Cooperative Development Council (PCDC) held its 7th Cooperatives Recognition Day at the Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center where the St. James Apostle Multi-Purpose Cooperative (SJAMP) of Betis, Guagua town received the Most Prolific Cooperative Award due to a significant increase in its membership.
Gov. Panlilio was among the pioneers of the SJAMP when he was the parish priest of the area.
According to the PIO, there are now 292 successful cooperatives in Pampanga with membership of more than 40,000 individuals.
For more information on these two positive developments, interested parties may contact the PIO at telephone number (045) 861-2575 or the PCEDO at (045) 963-0724.
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Quelle/Source: Philippine Information Agency, 23.11.2007
