The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry or PCCI has hailed Valenzuela City as this year’s “Most Business-Friendly” Local Government Unit during the 40th Philippine Business Conference and Expo held at the Manila Hotel on October 24.
During Valenzuela City Congressman Win Gatchalian’s last term as mayor, Valenzuela City also received the same award for the first time implementing its Simple, Speed, and Service or 3S in Public Service program in 2012.
Geared to bring graft and corruption to a zero level, the 3S program made Valenzuela City more efficient by optimizing procedures for getting business permits and minimizing bureaucratic layers.
Gatchalian, now a member in the House of Representatives, expressed belief the program will boost the local government’s resources and capacity to carry out programs that benefit its residents.
Under the new leadership of Mayor Rex Gatchalian, Valenzuela City bested other 34 cities in the Highly Urbanized City Category after it received again the award for the second time with its 3S Plus Technology program.
For harnessing the potential of technology in public service, the PCCI deemed Valenzuela City local government exemplary in leadership and dynamism in its efforts to create an environment that is conducive to business.
Through 3S Plus program, the first-term mayor continued his brother’s commitment to good governance with the use of new technology and innovation, unveiling last year its 3S Plus Electronic Terminal.
The terminal is the country’s first fully automated computerized building and construction permit procurement system.
Before the panel of judges, Mayor Gatchalian presented the 3S Plus e-terminal that houses self-service touch screen registration booths, barcode system and scanner, randomizer, in-house fire marshal, holistic evaluation reports, and application status display screens.
He showed that state-of-the-art terminal help reduced the period of processing building and construction permits from two months to two days and cut down the tax declaration issuance from two days to only 15 to 30 minutes.
The local executive also noted the ISO 9001:2008 certification awarded by TÜV SÜD on six offices of Valenzuela City government as well as its online job-hunting site (ValenzuelaTrabaho.gov.ph).
PCCI assessed the competing LGUs based on following key areas: trade, investments, and tourism promotion; Public-Private Sector Partnership (PPP); Micro Small Medium Enterprises development; quality management systems and innovations; and inter-local government relations.
Other cities that reached the finals along with Valenzuela City were Olongapo City, Angeles City, and Pasig City. (Tim Alcantara)
