BAGUIO CITY – The Optical Media Board formally opened on Wednesday its Northern Luzon satellite office at the One-Stop Shop Division of the City Treasury Office at Baguio City Hall which will cater to clients in Regions I, II and the Cordillera Administrative Region.
OMB chair and chief executive officer Anselmo Adriano and executive director Victor Luis Padilla II led the ribbon-cutting rites with Mayor Mauricio Domogan and Councilors Elaine Sembrano, Leandro Yangot Jr., Mylen Yaranon, city treasurer Alex Cabarrubias and city licensing officer Allan Abayao.
Adriano said that the establishment of the local office will speed up the processing of permits and licenses required of businessmen engaged in activities being regulated by the board as there will be no need for applicants to go down to Manila to process these requirements.
At the same it will facilitate action on issues concerning piracy and thus is hoped to help boost the campaign in the city and nearby areas, Adriano added.
Mayor Mauricio Domogan thanked the board for setting up an office in the city saying it will contribute to hastening the delivery of service to the people of Baguio especially in line with the call of President Rodrigo Duterte in a recent meeting with local government officials to speed up the processing and release of required permits in their level.
He however sought the assurance of the OMB officials on the prompt release of the permits as any delay will have an impact on the city’s own permit processes and eventually on its performance.
The officials said it normally takes 15 days to release the licenses but the satellite office may issue provisional permits that can be used to process their documents at the city level to avoid any delay.
After the launch, the OMB personnel led by licensing assistant Hannie Von Diego who will regularly man the office conducted a demonstration on the actual procedures in processing an application for a license.
Among the documents being issued by the OMB are licenses to engage in an optical media business; commercial replication permits and import and export clearances for optical media. ** Aileen P. Refuerzo
