QC warns vs. fixers selling appointment slots for business permit processing

The Quezon City government on Wednesday urged the public to not patronize fixers or individuals offering to reserve or sell their appointment slots for securing business permits.

Mayor Joy Belmonte issued the warning after the city’s Business Permits and Licensing Department observed that thousands of appointment slots were secured by at least 10 individuals.

"Wala pong bayad ang appointment system para sa inyong business permit. Please do not transact with fixers who promise to make the process easier for you. Our system is already easy enough, you just have to log in to our QC E-Services Website," Belmonte said in a statement.

"We will not let opportunists interfere with our online services which do not only provide an efficient option but it also safeguards our transacting public from the coronavirus," she added.

Belmonte said an investigation by the BPLD revealed that there was a group who used at least 10 email addresses to secure around 1,000 appointment slots each until May.

BPLD chief Margarita Santos said the department will improve its website interface to make the navigation simpler for users and that they will also add a security feature to help detect if multiple slots have been secured by a single email address.

"We will be rebooting our system by March 1. By then, our system will allow the use of an email address only once at a time. And if the user of the said email address failed to show up on his/her date of appointment thrice, then that email address will be blocked," Santos said.

Moreover, business owners who will claim processed business permits but are not able to get a personal appointment are also encouraged to have the document delivered instead.

"We advise that they book a courier service of their choice and have their permits picked-up from our office. This will definitely cost them much less than paying and buying appointment slots from fixers,” Santos said.

She added that free delivery and issuance of a temporary electronic copy of the business permit will be available soon. — Ma. Angelica Garcia/BM, GMA News