Govt launches online business registration facility

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine government unveiled an online registry and business registration facility intended to streamline business registration procedures in the country. Launched last July 9 during the opening of the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise (MSME) Development Week, the Philippine Business Registry (PBR) will initially offer on-line business registration for sole proprietorships, a statement said. The PBR also links the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Business Name Registration System (BNRS), the Bureau of Internal Revenue eReg system and Business Permit and Licensing System (BPLS) of the pioneering local government units (LGUs) that have connected to PBR, particularly Caloocan and Mandaluyong cities. Businesses located at other cities and municipalities can still use the facility for DTI and BIR registration, the department said. The portal is currently being piloted at the cities of Taguig and Navotas in the NCR, while the cities of San Fernando and Angeles in Region III as well as General Santos City in Region XII are targeted to be completed within the next few weeks. More cities will be linking up with the online system soon, the DTI said. Meanwhile, technical discussions have already commenced with the cities of Marikina, Makati, and Valenzuela while Quezon City, Las Piñas, and Pasay have shown their willingness to join the project by signing the PBR memorandum of agreement, the same statement said. According to the DTI, other upcoming features that will integrated in the system will be the application for partnerships and corporations at the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), registration with the Social Security System (SSS), PhilHealth, PAG-IBIG, Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) and other licensing agencies, business renewal, business matching, online payment, and report generation facilities. A PBR kiosk that can accept new business name and TIN application will be stationed at the Megatrade Hall, 5th level, Bldg. B, SM Megamall until July 13th, the DTI said. - GMANews.TV