Baguio biz applications on; economy picks up

By Julie G. Fianza

BAGUIO CITY -- The city’s economic environment is slowly picking up in this summer capital even with a reported increase in Covid-19 cases, as masked-up business permit applicants are lining up at the City Treasurer’s Office.
    The nearby Baguio Central School grounds was designated as additional area for working and business permit processing.
    Data from the City Treasurer’s Office showed from Jan. 4 up to the 20th, there were 2,300 application and business permit renewals processed.
    With seven more working days to the end of January, the number is nearly half the number of permits processed four years ago. 
    In pre-pandemic years; there were 6,412 permits processed in January 2018; 7,137 in January 2019; and in January 2020 before the Covid-19 global pandemic started in March 2020, 8,302 business permits were approved.
    Last year, Jan. 2021; 5,321 business permits that went through the Permits and Licensing Division (PLD) Office and CTO.
    For proper scheduling, and as was done in the past years, application for those with family names starting with A to H are in January; I to P in February and Q to Z and special names in March.
    As per instruction from Mayor Benjamin Magalong, City Treasurer Alex Cabarubias and PLD head Alan Abayao may request for an extension of business permit processing if needed.