QUEZON City Mayor Joy Belmonte on Monday said that doing business in the city just got easier with the rollout of a risk-based business permit processing system under an executive order she signed for immediate implementation.
The new system classifies businesses into low-risk, medium-risk, or high-risk, based on the nature of their operations and their potential impact on public safety, health, and the environment, according to the local government.
Belmonte said this risk classification would now be the main basis for how fast business permits are processed and how inspections are scheduled — "allowing the city government to move faster for simpler, low-risk businesses while giving more attention to higher-risk activities.” For business owners, the change means clearer rules and fixed timelines as applications for new businesses and changes in line of business will now be processed within three working days for low-risk businesses, seven working days for medium-risk businesses, and twenty working days for high-risk businesses, the city government said.
Business permit renewals, regardless of risk level, will be processed within three working days, provided there are no violations or pending issues as mandated under Republic Act 11032 or the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018, it explained.
“This system helps us move faster for low-risk businesses and be more careful where it really matters,” Belmonte said.
Except for inspections required by law — such as those needed for the Fire Safety Inspection Certificate — most inspections will now be conducted after the permit is issued, the mayor said.
High-risk businesses, according to the city government, will undergo annual inspection; medium-risk businesses shall be inspected once every two years; and low-risk enterprises will be checked once every three years.
For establishments with multiple lines of business, the processing time and inspection requirements will be based on the highest-risk activity declared, it said.
The Bureau of Fire Protection–Quezon City Fire District will continue to issue Fire Safety Inspection Certificates and conduct fire safety inspections, coordinating with City offices to avoid duplicate visits, it added.
“By using a risk-based approach, Quezon City reduces red tape, speeds up permit processing for low-risk businesses, and focuses on government inspections where they matter most — supporting responsible entrepreneurs while keeping communities safe,” the mayor said.
