This is a general guide for investors on the requirements for doing business in the Philippines.
General Registration Requirements
Investors setting up business in the country have to comply with the following general requirements:
Registration of corporations and partnerships
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
Registration of business name/single proprietorship
Department of Trade and Industry
Registration for availing of incentives under Executive Order 226 or the Omnibus Investment Code.
Board of Investments (BOI)
Registration with other Investment Promotion Agencies for availing of incentives
Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA)
Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA)
Clark Development Corporation (CDC)
Cagayan Economic Zone Authority
Phividec Industrial Authority
Zamboanga Economic Zone Authority
Registration of foreign investments for purposes of capital repatriation and profit remittances
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP)
Securing Tax Identification Number (TIN)
Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR)
Securing locational clearance/business permit for firms locating in Metro Manila
Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA)
/City Hall/Municipal Offices in the localities where the business will be set up
Securing an employer's SSS number
Social Security System (SSS)
Securing membership in the government health care benefits system
Philippine Health Insurance Corporation
Securing electric services connection
Manila Electric Co. (MERALCO) for business in MERALCO franchise area; local electric utility firms for companies locating in non-MERALCO franchise area
Securing Water services
Maynilad Water Company and/or Manila Water Company for firms locating in Metro Manila and Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) for firms locating outside Metro Manila
Securing Telephone services connection
Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) , Bayantel , Digitel , Smart and Globelines
Operational Requirements
Certain requirements have to be complied with by the enterprise while in operation, expansion and/or diversification. While in operation the following need to be accomplished:
Reportorial requirements (i.e. Audited Financial Statement, General Information Sheet); amendment of articles of incorporation/partnership
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
Reportorial requirements (i.e. Audited Financial Statement, ITR, etc); registration of business/expansion for incentives
Board of Investments (BOI)
Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA)
Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA)
Clark Development Corporation (CDC)
Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA)
Phividec Industrial Authority(PIA)
Zamboanga Economic Zone Authority (ZEZA)
Regular tax payments
Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR)
Registration of Customs Bonded Warehouse (on Expansion/Diversification)
Bureau of Customs (BOC)-Collectors of Port
Opening of Letter of Credit (L/C)
Authorized Agent Banks (ABBs)
Export Declaration (Authority to Load/Certificate of Origin)
Bureau of Customs - Export Coordination Division
Information sheet for first-time exporters
Authorized Agent Banks (ABBs)
Payment of wharfage fees/exemption from payment
Philippine Ports Authority (PPA)
Special Permits / Clearances for Selected Export Businesses
Export of products will need clearances and permit prior to every shipment:
Clearance for export of animal and animal by-products
Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI)
For pets - Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI)
For exotic animals, endangered animals - Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB)
Clearance for plant export
Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI)
Clearance for export of food, drugs, and chemicals
Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD)
Clearance/quota for coffee exports
International Coffee Organization Certifying Agency (ICOCA)
Clearance for quota allocation of garment and textile exports
Garments and Textile Export Board
Clearance for export of fisheries and other aquatic products
Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR)
Special documentation certificate for preferential treatment of handicrafts export
Department of Trade & Industry
Export clearance for regulated coconut products (matured nuts and seedlings)
Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA)
Commodity clearance and license for fiber export
Fiber Industry Development Authority (FIDA)
Special Permits / Clearance / Registration
Special permits / clearances / registration are required for the following projects / activities:
Various types of visas - Special Investor's Resident Visa (SIRV), Special Retiree's Resident Visa(SRRV), 47(a)2, Treaty Trader's Visa, Pre-Arranged Employment Visa and its derivatives- Alien Certification of Registration (ACR), Immigration Certificate of Residence (ICR), Emigration Clearance Certificate (ECC) and Special Return Certificate (SRC)
Bureau of Immigration (BI)
Alien Employment Permit (AEP)
Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)
Clearance for garment & textile exporters
Garments and Textile Export Board (GTEB)
Registration for operation of Customs Bonded Manufacturing Warehouse
Bureau of Customs (BOC)
Environmental Compliance Certification
Environmental Management Bureau, Department of Environmental and Natural Resources (DENR)
Projects involving land use/conversion
Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB) ,
National Housing Authority (NHA) ,
Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR)
Permit to construct/operate pollution-control devices
Department of Environmental and Natural Resources (DENR)
Trademarks/ Patents registration
Intellectual Property Office
Registration of power-generation projects
Department of Energy (DOE) / National Power Corporation (NAPOCOR)
Philippine Standard (PS) Quality Mark to ensure that locally-manufactured consumer products conform to Philippine national standards
Bureau of Product Standards (BPS)
Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) Quality Mark to ensure that imported consumer products conform with Philippine national standards
Bureau of Product Standard (BPS)
License-to-Operate for projects which involve food, chemicals, and others
Bureau of Food and Drug (BFAD)
Registration of tourism projects
Department of Tourism (DOT)
Franchise for mass transit operation
Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTRFB)
Telecommunication projects
National Telecommunications Commission (NTC)
License/clearance for defense-related projects
Department of National Defense (DND) / Philippine National Police (PNP)
Registration of advanced technology
Department of Science and Technology (DOST)
Clearance for health-related projects
Department of Health (DOH)
Clearance for oil exploration activities
Department of Energy (DOE)
Acquiring mining rights
Mines and Geo-Sciences Bureau (MGB)
