Hassle-Free Business Registration

If you have transacted before with Government Agencies in the Philippines it’s quite far-fetched to describe the Business Registration process as hassle-free, right? Or probably you’ve heard rants from your friends regarding the legendary bureaucratic red tape that they went through. Well I have some good news for you, the Department of Trade and Industry’s “one-stop shop” project, Philippine Business Registry (PBR), promises to make weeks-long process a thing of the past and speed it up to as short as 30 minutes.

Their plan is to install a few hundred workstations offering real-time and hassle-free business registration in the offices of Department of Trade and Industry, Securities and Exchange Commission and some Local Government Units. The PBR will accept applications from Sole Proprietorships, Partnerships and Corporations. Applicants can get their Tax Identification Number (TIN) from Bureau of Internal Revenue, Employer Registration Numbers from Social Security System (SSS), Home Development Mutual Fund (Pag-ibig) and Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (Philhealth) through the PBR. Currently they are still finding ways to link the LGU’s business permit processing system because it is still not interlinked with the PBR.

Procedure for Sole Proprietorships

1. Fill out the Application Form and submit to DTI Teller
2. Teller secures TIN. (Validate against records if there’s an existing TIN)
3. Business Name (BN) Certificate and Employer’s Registration Numbers (ERN) are processed. Get the Transaction Reference Number (TRN).
4. Present the TRN to Cashier for payment of BN Fee. And secure the Official Receipt.
5. Present the Official Receipt to the Releasing Officer for the BN Certificate.
6. Get the SSS, Pag-ibig and Philhealth Employer Registration Numbers (ERN) from the Teller.
7. Present the PBR-generated Employer Registration Number to the agencies to secure the corresponding Certificates

Procedure for Partnerships and Corporations

1. Fill out the Application form and submit to the teller
2. Submit photocopies of complete SEC registration documents (SEC Registration Certificate, articles of partnership/corporation and by-laws). Bring along the original copies for verification.
3. Teller will transmit the application for Employer Registration Numbers to SSS, Pag-IBIG and Philhealth and get the PBR-generated ERNs.
4. Then secure the Certificate of Registration or Employer ID from offices of SSS, Pag-IBIG and Philhealth.

DTI Secretary Gregory Domingo said the government will now turn its attention to implement other reforms to make it easier for businessmen to do business in this country.

Sounds a relief? I think so.

Source: Inquirer

Tagged as: Business Registration, It's More Fun in the Philippines, Philippine Registration