Baguio: The city government will roll out an online scheme aimed at expediting work permit application. The Work Permit Application System (WorkPASS) 'will start on June 9', according to lawyer Leticia Clemente, city budget officer, whose office manages the development of online processes in the city government.
According to Philippines News Agency, Clemente said the city government has started with the computerization and online systems for different processes to further give ease to clients. The system was first launched on April 21, where work permit applicants were encouraged to log in to the official website of the city government at https://workpass.baguio.gov.ph.
The WorkPASS links the City Mayor's Office, Public Employment Services Office (PESO), City Health Services Office (CHSO), and the Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) and will allow parallel processing of work permit applications once logged in. As work permits, the government issues cards-green for non-food handlers, yellow for food handlers, pink for female entertainers, and blue for male entertainers.
Clemente said applicants should prepare prerequisite documents such as a receipt of payments for residence certificate or "cedula," police clearance, and work permit paid at the Business-One-Stop-Shop (BOSS) at the City Hall. Online, the applicants may choose a schedule when to attend the seminar for food handlers, undergo some laboratory tests, and secure a health certificate for entertainers.
Once accomplished, the applicant brings all the original documents to the Public Employment Services Office (PESO) for processing and release of the cards. A digital work permit with a unique QR (quick response) code with date and time stamp will be issued to the applicant through the WorkPASS system, an e-copy of which can be printed and submitted to the employer.
It can be recalled that the city government had earlier implemented an online system for payment of fees and taxes, and processing of business permits, as well as building permits by linking all the appropriate offices for a fast and smooth flow of transactions. Clemente said the online system 'will spare our workers from spending a lot of time queuing, which will prevent them from working for the day.'
'The system is part of the city government's long-term initiative to ease the system, which started several years back, starting from the computerization system of city hall offices," she added.
