FORMER Davao City representative Karlo Nograles on Sunday said he would prioritize the development of an online system for processing permits in Davao City, as he emphasized that the speed and efficiency by which business permits are processed can help generate high quality jobs for the city’s residents.

According to Nograles, “in this fast-paced world, speed and efficiency are the bywords that determine whether a city is deemed viable for business. Time is money, especially for big businesses. So if we are to attract them to Davao City we need to show the world that setting up a business here is easy and hassle-free.”

“Gaya ng madalas kong sabihin, permits delayed are jobs denied. A fully-digital City Hall will help us address bottlenecks and simplify the permit process. If we can approve and grant permits within days instead of weeks, that will be a strong message that we are ready for business,” he added.

Such business-readiness is crucial in attracting the private sector to establish their enterprises in Davao City and provide jobs to the city’s workforce, explained the former chair of the Civil Service Commission.

Nograles said that his drive to make the local government fully digital is geared towards enticing more industries to the city, consistent with programs intended to make Davao City residents see, hear, and feel City Hall.

“We want not just more jobs, but more quality jobs. This will be possible if we can convince various industries such as tech, the knowledge industry, manufacturing, and even modern agriculture to capitalize on Davao City’s advantages,” he said.

“I believe that these will all follow once we make a serious push towards improving the city’s digital infrastructure, starting with city hall,” said Nograles.

The former lawmaker added that even small business owners and workers in the gig economy could massively benefit from a fully-digital city hall.

“Yung mga araw na ilalaan halimbawa ng delivery rider para mag-apply ng permit, kita na ‘yan na mawawala at ikagugutom ng pamilya nila. Kapag nag-apply ang sari-sari store owner mula District 2 or 3 at pumunta pa sa city hall, kailangan pang isara ang tindahan nang buong araw. Maiiwasan natin ang ganitong perwisyo kung online na ang mga proseso.”