BONTOC, Mountain Province – Business owners in this capital town can look forward to faster and easier business permits and licensing applications with the recent  launch of the electronic Business Permits and Licensing System (eBPLS) at the Bontoc Municipal Capitol.

Bontoc is the first municipality in Mountain Province, and the fifth in the Cordillera Administrative Region to adopt the eBPLS to promote a more competitive business environment in the municipality.

The eBPLS is cloud-based software developed by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) that allows end-users to file applications for new and renewal of business permits online. This is in response to President Rodrigo Duterte’s directive to reduce the requirements and processing time of all government transactions through Republic Act 11032 or the Ease of Doing Business (EODB) Law. The automation is a joint undertaking of the DICT along with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

Mayor Franklin Odsey  expressed his profound gratitude to the DICT, DILG, and DTI for all their assistance to the undertaking of the municipality.

He added that the eBPLS is a welcome development for the municipality, which expects increased revenue generation with the automation of its business license. With the increase in revenue, more projects can be implemented for the benefit of the community.

 DICT Luzon Cluster 1 Regional Director Nestor Bongato in his message via zoom lauded the Bontoc LGU for initiating the implementation of the eBPLS. The eBPLS will become a useful tool to support the LGU’s effective management of information in terms of speedy knowledge processing to achieve organizational objectives. Thus, it will greatly contribute to the improvement of the performance and competitiveness of the LGUs in the business permit and licensing process.

He  also assured the continual support of the DICT to the LGUs and remote communities to intensify e-governance programs.

Municipal Local Government Operations Officer Lourdes Claire Peel joined the other government agencies in congratulating the municipality of Bontoc for being the first in Mountain Province to adopt the eBPLS. With  Bontoc  as a Seal of Good Local Governance   Awardee for three consecutive years, the eBPLS  is expected to raise the bar of excellence in governance.

 She added that the launching of the eBPLS can further streamline the Bontoc LGU’s business permits and licensing applications and provide faster service to clients especially that Bontoc is the capital town and business hub of the province. Relative to this, she expressed high hopes that other municipalities will emulate.

The heads from all the partner agencies were present at the event and online via zoom to give their congratulatory message. They highlighted the importance and impact of eBPLS in the economic growth and development of the LGUs. They also gave their recommendations on how to sustain the system.

Business Permit and Licensing Officer Karen Lumiwes expressed  gratitude to the partner agencies for the realization of the project.

“The eBPLS is an answered prayer. It will help systematize our processes for business licensing and its related transactions, Lumiwes added.

Also present during the eBPLS launching are Vice Mayor Eusebio Kabluyen, Sangguniang Bayan members Alsannyster Patingan and Viola Okko, and the key players in the eBPLS. ( Alpine L. Killa-LGU Bontoc)