The Quezon City government is set to implement online applications for building permits and business licenses.
In a news release, Mayor Joy Belmonte said that the move will limit face-to-face interactions between citizens and city hall employees, especially since social distancing is strictly advised nowadays.
The Mayor said it is high time that the city harnesses the benefits that technology can offer and implement creative approaches to ensure everyone’s safety.
Starting from the beginning of June, applicants who wish to get or renew their business permit are advised to download and fill out the Unified Business Permit Application Form.
The accomplished form should be submitted to the Business Permit and Licensing Division (BPLD) through email at BPLD@quezoncity.gov.ph for evaluation.
After submitting the form online, applicants will be sent an acknowledgement and status of application, the release noted.
The Head of BPLD, Margarita Santos, said that their office has set up an e-Response team dedicated to monitor and respond to incoming applications.
The Head said that by shifting online, not only can they protect the citizens, but they also make the processes quicker. The issuance of permits and licenses may take one to three days from the submission of the application.
Applicants are also advised to use bank payment via the country’s central to avoid queuing in QC Hall. Copy of deposit slip for business tax payments is to be sent via email (CTO@quezoncity.gov.ph).
Once the permit has been issued, the applicant may choose to get the permit either through pick-up or delivery via courier service of choice, at a cost to the receiver.
Santos noted that the office will be strict with the policy that no walk-in applicants will be accepted. For those who prefer to personally submit their application, they will still have to schedule an appointment with the office and wait for the appointment confirmation email.
To schedule an appointment, applicants may log on to the government portal.
The Philippine government has started moving their services online to help citizens cope with the ‘new normal’. OpenGov reported recently that the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) has designed an electronic filing system for inventors and designers to apply for design patents.
With the successful launch of IPOPHL’s Information Technology Management Service (ITMS), the online patent processes allow applicants to submit the required documents and forms electronically to initiate the application.
Called the eDocFile for Patents, the new online service eliminates the need for innovators and designers to be physically present at the IPOPHL office to apply for protection of their innovations, helping keep them and patent examiners, as well, safe in their homes.
This is a remarkable feat for IPOPHL in line with its commitment to make the application for patents efficient, accessible, and user-friendly, the IPOPHL Director-General, Rowel S. Barba, said.
Applications for invention, utility model (UM), and industrial design (ID) by receiving all post-filing documents, requests, and basic annuity payments are accepted electronically.
More importantly, the Director-General added, with a system that can make the patent granting process simpler and more cost-efficient, IPOPHL can ensure uninterrupted service.
