I AM NOW developing a web application that will enable owners of business enterprises to apply for their business permits and licenses online, without the need to go to the municipal hall or city hall to do it in person.
By the way, if you know of a local government unit (LGU) that is already doing this, please let me know because I might be able to learn from their experience.
To be clear however, I am looking for Business Permit and Licensing System (BPLS) software that are 100% deployed in the cloud, and not in the Local Area Networks (LANs) of the LGUs.
Pardon me for saying so, but it seems that the prevalent culture in many LGUs now is to give business permit applicants “a hard time”, as if they are going through a gauntlet just to get their permits and licenses.
Instead of a customer service orientation, some LGU officials behave as if they are giving favors to the applicants, when in fact it is their duty to serve the applicants.
Somehow, the culture of genuine public service is lost in some LGUs. Is there any way that we could change this rotten culture? Is there any way that we could treat the taxpayer as king, similar to the treatment of customers as kings, after all, a taxpayer is also customer, also a citizen, and is also a voter?
Is it not enough multiple roles for the taxpayer to get royal treatment?
I am now designing my new BPLS mobile app to be of use to the taxpayer not only for the original purposes of getting permits and licenses, but also for the purpose of enabling the taxpayers to get other services such as training, financing, packaging and the marketing of his or her products and services.
We should all realize that aside from paying new taxes, these taxpayers are also creating new jobs that are good for the economy.
New business means new livelihood and that should actually contribute to both poverty alleviation and poverty reduction in the community.
Of course, the app will also enable the business owners to sell their goods and services online./PN
