Bizmen urged to report ‘tong-pats’

ILOILO City – Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog urged businessmen transacting with the city government to immediately report to him city hall employees extorting money from them or are demanding tong-pats (fat commissions).

Mabilog said he is keen on making the city investor-friendly.

There should be no grease money involved when investors process various documentary requirements, he stressed.

Mabilog said most business players here come from small and medium enterprises; they find it hard to start their businesses due to under-the-table transactions.

Streamlining the business application process has stopped red tape, but Mabilog said some city hall people are still extorting money from the businessmen so as to expedite the release of important documents.

The mayor said such practice degrades the government and its decent employees.

He also said the business community should not tolerate these anomalous practices among their ranks. He reminded them that they should stop giving.

The mayor is planning to set up a city hall hotline exclusively for reports on extortion incidents in the business community.

In a related development, personnel of city government offices handling frontline services will be trained on customer service, especially on courtesy.

The seminar will initially cover the office of the Treasurer, Permits and Licensing Division, City Engineer, Special Services Unit (SSU) and all other task forces (TF) such as TF Asis and Anti-Jaywalking and Anti-Littering.

Mabilog said the trainings will be handled by the office of the City Administrator, Legal and the Human Resources Office.

“While they are implementing strictly our laws, they should learn to be courteous,” Mabilog said.

The professionalization of city employees such that they will be efficient in looking into the concerns of city residents was one of the campaign promises of Mabilog. (With reports from the Philippine News Agency/PN)