Using the catchy byline Convenience through Convergence, Ms. Trudl C. Flores of NERBAC  CALAMBA, stressed the importance of speedily facilitating the issuance of business permits in the province.

 Dec. 2, 2009, Dept. of Trade and Industry, Lucena City - NERBAC or the National Economic Research and Business Assistance Center, had shown its determination to promote business entrepreneurship in CALABARZON by looking at ways and means by which processing of business registration maybe reduced not by days but in minutes.

Using the catchy byline “Convenience through Convergence”, Ms. Trudl C. Flores of NERBAC – CALAMBA, stressed the importance of speedily facilitating the issuance of business permits in the province by doing away with energy sapping “red tapes” perceived to be a reason why cases of unregistered establishments in the province and even in the region, proliferates.

The creation of NERBAC for adoption in the easy facilitation of business registration was also pointed out to have a sound “legal basis” since an ACT for its use was embodied in RA 7470 promulgated as early as 1992, The act mandates the formation of a National Economic Research and Business Assistance Center to “assist in expediting the process of business formation with which to encourage the growth of entrepreneurship in the country”. Its functions briefly stated are the following;

1. Provide information to prospective investors, both local and foreign, on the different kinds of business opportunities that are in accord with set investment priorities of the Government.
2. Establish an updated data bank of all industries, and business enterprises in the region.
3. Assist in the preparation of feasibility studies of existing as well as possible industries in the region that can help entrepreneurs decide on what business to venture to.
4. Organize and maintain a centralized one –stop shop services or assistance center that shall expedite the processing of all government requirements necessary in establishing a business.

Indeed making the NERBAC a virtual “ONE STOP” Business Permit Processing Center. It was also mulled over that the task of data collating for the purpose may be assigned to Quezon Provincial Trade and Investment Center in a merger with NERBAC to avoid duplication of functions.

The Provincial Director of the Dept of Trade and Industry in Quezon Province, Ms. Marcelina S. Alcantara further reasoned out that by pushing for the adoption of a simplified registration system, registering businesses shall be cut down to mere minutes instead of days, normally experienced during registrations of new businesses. To further stress its importance and to get the business “rolling”, Ms Alcantara requested concerned agencies, such as the local DA, DENR, DOF, NEDA, DTI, etc., to submit, as early as possible, their requirements in obtaining permits; beginning from the forms they require the public, to enable DTI to come out with “ONE” or “capsulized” version of an application form.

Finally a consensus, by which the next meeting is to be held to push the project into reality, was set for December 15, at the Provincial Trade and Investment Office, where a “dry-run” for the new concept of “networking” business permit applications shall be brought to a test.

The Provincial Dept. of Trade and Industry Head, Ms. Marcelina S. Alcantara, hopes that RPN may grace the occasion of the trial run. – qptic/msbaldeo