Terms of Service

1. Introduction and Acceptance

These Terms of Service (“Terms”) govern access to and use of the MuniServe Electronic Business Permits and Licensing System (“Platform” or “Service”), owned and operated by Muniserve Computer Software Trading (“MuniServe,” “we,” “us,” or “our”), including the public website at muniserve.ph and the branded eBPLS portals we provide to partner Local Government Units.

By creating an account, submitting an application, or otherwise using the Platform, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree, you must not use the Platform. If you are using the Platform on behalf of a business entity, you represent that you are authorized to bind that entity to these Terms.

2. The Parties and Their Roles

The Platform involves three distinct parties, each with a different role:

MuniServe is a software technology provider. We develop, license, host, and maintain the eBPLS platform and make it available to LGUs on a subscription basis. We also integrate a third-party payment gateway to allow online payment of government fees.

LGU Partners are the Philippine Local Government Units — provinces, cities, or municipalities — that subscribe to and use the Platform to receive, evaluate, route, assess, and act on business permit and licensing applications within their jurisdiction. Each LGU exercises its own governmental authority, sets its own local tax rates and fees through its Revenue Code and ordinances, and makes all decisions regarding permit issuance, denial, and enforcement.

Citizen/Applicant Users are individuals and businesses who use the Platform — through an LGU’s branded portal — to apply for, pay for, and track business permits, licenses, and related clearances.

MuniServe is not a party to, and has no authority over, the substantive outcome of any application submitted through the Platform. That authority belongs exclusively to the relevant LGU.

3. Disclaimer of Liability: Permit Approvals, Tax Assessments, and Enforcement

MuniServe provides the software infrastructure that supports the application process. MuniServe does not approve, deny, assess, or enforce anything. All decisions regarding the approval or denial of a permit or license, the assessment of local business taxes, regulatory fees, and other charges, the conduct of inspections, and the enforcement of local ordinances are made solely and exclusively at the discretion of the applicable LGU, in the exercise of its authority under the Local Government Code of 1991 (RA 7160) and its own ordinances.

Where the Platform automatically computes taxes or fees, that computation is performed strictly according to the tax rates, schedules, and formulas supplied by, and set at the sole discretion of, the applicable LGU, and is generated for your reference only. MuniServe does not independently verify or guarantee the accuracy, legality, or currency of any LGU-supplied rate or formula, and is not responsible for any discrepancy, additional assessment, or requirement subsequently imposed by the LGU. The computed assessment does not constitute payment; payment of any assessed amount must be completed by you directly through the applicable LGU’s own LinkBiz portal, as described in Section 6. MuniServe makes no warranty regarding whether, or how quickly, any application will be approved, and is not liable for any LGU’s delay, denial, additional documentary requirement, or exercise of regulatory discretion.

4. Accounts and Eligibility

You must be at least eighteen (18) years old, or an authorized representative of a juridical entity, to create an account. You agree to provide accurate registration information, to keep your login credentials confidential, and to notify us promptly of any unauthorized use of your account. You are responsible for all activity that occurs under your account.

5. Truthful Information; Applications Made Under Penalty of Perjury

Applications submitted through the Platform are official submissions to a Philippine government agency. You represent and warrant that all information, statements, and documents you submit — including but not limited to identity information, business details, and declared gross receipts, sales, or other figures used for tax computation — are true, accurate, complete, and authentic.

Where an LGU requires an application, declaration, or supporting document to be executed under oath or certified as true and correct, your submission through the Platform is made under penalty of perjury under the Revised Penal Code (including but not limited to Article 183 on perjury and Articles 171–172 on falsification of documents) and other applicable laws and local ordinances. Submitting false, inaccurate, or fraudulent information may expose you to criminal, civil, and administrative liability, and may result in the denial, suspension, or revocation of any permit or license issued, independently of and in addition to any action MuniServe may take under these Terms. MuniServe processes applications as submitted and disclaims responsibility for the consequences of any inaccurate, false, or fraudulent submission by a user.

6. Fees and Payments

There are two distinct types of payments associated with the Platform:

Government fees and taxes — amounts assessed by the applicable LGU (business taxes, permit fees, clearance fees, and similar charges) are computed and displayed to you by the Platform based on the applicable LGU’s Revenue Code, but are not paid through MuniServe. Payment of these amounts is made directly by you through the applicable LGU’s own LinkBiz payment portal, which is owned and operated by the LGU and is a separate platform from MuniServe. MuniServe does not process, collect, hold, or have access to any funds relating to government fees or taxes, and is not a party to that payment transaction.

LGU subscription fees are payable by the LGU, institutionally through its Treasury or Accounting Office, to MuniServe under a separate subscription or service agreement, and are processed through our accredited third-party payment gateway partner. These fees are not charged to, and are unrelated to, Citizen/Applicant Users.

Refund and cancellation terms for LGU subscription fees are set out in our separate Refund and Cancellation Policy. Because MuniServe does not process citizen payments of government fees, any dispute, refund request, or payment concern relating to such a payment must be directed to the applicable LGU’s Treasurer’s Office or the LinkBiz portal support channel, as further explained in that Policy.

7. System Availability and Maintenance

We use reasonable efforts to keep the Platform available and performing reliably, but we do not guarantee uninterrupted or error-free access. The Platform may be temporarily unavailable due to scheduled maintenance (which we will endeavor to notify users of in advance where practicable), technical failure, internet or telecommunications issues, third-party payment gateway outages, or events beyond our reasonable control (force majeure).

Because permit and tax deadlines are set by law or LGU ordinance, we strongly recommend that users submit applications and payments well ahead of any applicable deadline. MuniServe is not liable for penalties, surcharges, or other consequences resulting from a missed deadline caused by system downtime, though we will use reasonable efforts to assist affected users in coordinating with the relevant LGU.

8. Acceptable Use

You agree not to: (a) attempt to gain unauthorized access to the Platform or any account, system, or network connected to it; (b) scrape, harvest, or use automated means to extract data from the Platform without authorization; (c) upload malware, viruses, or other harmful code; (d) submit forged, altered, or fraudulent documents or impersonate another person or business; (e) circumvent or attempt to circumvent any security or authentication feature; (f) reverse engineer, decompile, or attempt to derive the source code of the Platform; or (g) otherwise use the Platform for any unlawful purpose. Violation of this section may result in suspension or termination of your account and referral to the appropriate authorities.

9. Intellectual Property

The Platform, including its software, source code, design, and the “MuniServe” name and logo, is owned by Muniserve Computer Software Trading and is protected by applicable intellectual property laws. Each LGU retains ownership of its own records, application data, and the content of its Revenue Code and ordinances as reflected on the Platform. Users retain ownership of documents they upload, and grant MuniServe and the applicable LGU a limited license to use, store, and process such documents solely for purposes of the application.

10. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, MuniServe shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, consequential, or special damages arising from your use of the Platform. MuniServe is not liable for any LGU’s decisions, actions, delays, or omissions, including denial of a permit, changes to local tax rates, or additional requirements imposed by the LGU, nor for the acts or omissions of our third-party payment gateway provider. Subject to applicable law, MuniServe’s aggregate liability for any claim arising from or relating to the Platform shall not exceed the amount, if any, of platform or convenience fees actually paid by the claimant to MuniServe in the twelve (12) months preceding the claim.

11. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold MuniServe harmless from any claim, loss, or damage (including reasonable legal fees) arising from your breach of these Terms, your submission of false or fraudulent information, or your unlawful use of the Platform.

12. Suspension and Termination

MuniServe, or the applicable LGU with respect to its own portal, may suspend or terminate your access to the Platform for violation of these Terms, suspected fraud, or as otherwise required by law or LGU instruction. Termination does not affect obligations that accrued prior to termination, including fees owed or the status of an application already submitted.

13. Governing Law and Venue

These Terms are governed by the laws of the Republic of the Philippines. Any dispute arising from or relating to these Terms shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the proper courts of [Insert City], Philippines, without prejudice to the jurisdiction of the National Privacy Commission over data privacy complaints or any other government agency with proper jurisdiction.

14. Dispute Resolution

The parties agree to first attempt to resolve any dispute amicably. Nothing in these Terms limits your right to seek appropriate remedies before Philippine courts, the National Privacy Commission, the Department of Trade and Industry, or the applicable LGU, as the case may be.

15. Amendments

We may update these Terms from time to time. The updated version will be posted on this page with a revised “Last Updated” date, and material changes will be communicated through the Platform where appropriate. Continued use of the Platform after such changes constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.

16. Severability; Entire Agreement

If any provision of these Terms is found unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue in full force and effect. These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy and Refund and Cancellation Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and MuniServe regarding use of the Platform.

17. Contact Us

Email: hello@muniserve.ph
Phone: +63 977 440 1374
Entity: Muniserve Computer Software Trading
Address: 04 Yakal St. San Miguel Bulacan 3011