Ng: LGUs must bridge the gap with businesses
A Cebu business leader has urged local governments to helper ring businesses to comply with necessary permits, without having to hinder business growth, but instead promote ease of doing business.
Sought for her comment on the recent shop closures by the Cebu City government due to absence of business permits of some enterprises, Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Melanie Ng said the business chamber seeks to reach out to the local government to "bridge the gap."
"We understand that it is the responsibility of each business entity to register and secure the necessary permits needed to operate a business, while there may be those that have not complied or completed the process yet, CCCI would like to reach out to our local government to bridge the gap and assist the business owners and at the same time help our LGU (local government unit) address compliance and tax collection concerns," Ng told The FREEMAN yesterday.
The CCCI president underscored the chamber continues to uphold the interest of improving the business climate and promoting investments in Cebu.
Ng also called on local governments to be not a hindrance to Cebu’s business growth.
"We hope our local government will practice measures promoting ease of doing business and not disenfranchise economic initiatives nor hinder business growth," the business leader further emphasized.
Ng also said the chamber would seem to work out the best way for government agencies as well as LGUs to be enabling to make doing business in Cebu easy.
"In the light of our thrust of promoting entrepreneurship and handholding micro, small and growing-stabilizing businesses, we in CCCI would like to work out best way for all government agencies to be supportive, enabling and collaborating to make it easy for entrepreneurs to do business," the CCCI official said.
"Birth pains in starting a business could be overwhelming albeit we continue to encourage, assist, and mentor entrepreneurs to be above board and tax compliant while ensuring viability of the business," Ng explained.
It can be recalled that the Cebu City government earlier closed the two branches of Rico's Lechon in Cebu City including its main plant in Barangay Talamban because of an absence of an approved final business permit for a year.
Its commissary was also reportedly to be operating while its sanitary permits were still being processed, according to earlier reports.
The two branches closed were the ones in Axis Entertainment Avenue along Escario Street and in F. Cabahug Street.
Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña earlier said the city is just implementing the law and Rico’s Lechon violated the city’s revised omnibus tax ordinance.
He said the establishment can no longer reopen even if it complies with permit requirements.
Osmeña said Rico’s Lechon is among the 14,413 business establishments in Cebu City that are operating without a business permit.
The mayor had warned there would be more erring businesses to be closed.
He said he would create a team that would go after businesses operating without a business permit.
Aside from Rico’s Lechon, the city also closed Chuva-Chuva Spa, owned by Alfredo Jacobas, in Barangay Mabolo.
The said spa has reportedly been operating without a valid business permit from the city government.