Business Registration Services

Business registration, commonly known as company incorporation, is the initial and basic  prerequisite of doing business operations in the Philippines. It legalizes your business endeavors and protects your company from any legal complications, the benefits of business registration encompass the establishment of a corporate bank account, the freedom to promote and market your business to a broader customer base, the cultivation of trust among prospective clients and employees, and, ultimately, the authorization to conduct business activities in the Philippines.

1QZ Philippines provides you a seamless business registration and incorporation processes in the Philippines. The Philippines, with its promising opportunities, is an investment haven for both local and international entrepreneurs, as well as multinational corporations. To conduct business successfully, companies must grasp and adhere to prevailing laws and business regulations in the country, and a comprehensive understanding of the legal requirements is a must. Compliance with all requisite legal documents is necessary for the lawful operation of a business entity, with business registration and incorporation  as initial steps in a series of crucial procedures for any company.

With 1QZ Philippines, our experts process hassle free your company's permits and licenses requirements.  Depending on your business activity or industry, there are plenty of bureaucratic bottlenecks to overcome in the Philippines. The high number of government agencies and its complex requirements make it complex to fully grasp the permits you will be needing.

Majority of these local permits must be renewed every year and engaging 1QZ Philippines can save you a tremendous amount of hours and ensure that you succeed in keeping your business up and running with no interruption.

If you are doing business in the Philippines, do not hesitate to engage with one of our business consultants to assist you with some of the mandatory licenses and corporate compliance processes (depending on your nature of business).

1QZ Philippines helps clients ensure adherence to ever-evolving regulations and global business standards to prepare and protect client organizations against threats, foster credibility and reliability, and promote stakeholder confidence. 

Starting up a business in the Philippines is only the first step of many in its continuous operations. Several government agencies such as the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) of the Philippines requires regular monitoring and reporting of every company’s yearly activities. The BIR and local government also require reporting and regular renewal of licenses and certificates.

For multi-national and foreign-owned corporations, these compliance and reportorial requirements are hassles that can result into slowing down, if not stop, business operations. Besides tax compliance (which requires monthly, quarterly, and annual reporting to the tax authority), there is also a need to file meeting minutes, board resolutions, general information sheets, and other pertinent documents with SEC. The local government (usually the city hall) also requires that business permits be renewed and sales taxes be paid at the start of every year. Most municipalities work on a fiscal year so regardless of when the new business permit was filed, they must be renewed January of each year.

At 1QZ Philippines, with our legal and support services, we relieve companies of the burden of worrying about corporate compliance.

• Providing a Corporate Secretary
• Providing a Resident Agent
• Providing a Corporate Treasurer
• Providing a Nominee Director
• Corporate housekeeping
• Annual filings with the SEC, BIR, and Local Government

1QZ Philippines provides outsourced corporate housekeeping to companies wishing to simplify their operations while keeping the growth of the business. Our legal and accounting departments are fully equipped to comply with bureaucratic procedures, and our quality management system, combined with online project management software, assures that Triple i is prepared for all the necessary filings to help you succeed.

Instead of doing these tedious tasks yourself, please reach out to us through one of the following channels to book an initial consultation with one of our business consultants.

Another aspect of putting up and doing business in the Philippines is the establishment of a PHYSICAL OFFICE.  1QZ Philippines can assist you in setting up office/s. Together, we can short list requirements, source out office spaces, equipment and office furniture. Our office setup services can save your company’s time and money, so you can direct your focus on the business.

• Initial consultation;
• Preparation of documents and legal requirements;
• Facilitation of virtual or short-term office space for initial setup;
• Coordination with real estate brokers to locate permanent office;
• Supervision of actual setup of office space through licensed partners;
• Procurement of IT equipment; and
• Facilitating necessary fit-outs for the office space.

We approach each client’s office setup as a unique project, with needs varying from business to business, depending on the specified goals. And whatever the requirements, 1QZ Philippines can make your company’s office setup as quick and easy as possible.

SSS Employer Registration is the process by which companies or individuals who hire employees register with the Social Security System (SSS) in the Philippines. This registration is essential for obtaining the SSS Employer ID Number and ensuring compliance with the Social Security Act of 2018 (R.A. 11199).

PhilHealth Employer Registration is the process by which companies or individuals who employ people formally register with the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) to provide health insurance coverage for their employees and comply with the National Health Insurance Act of 1995 (R.A. 7875).

Pag-IBIG Employer Registration is the process by which companies or individuals who hire employees formally register with the Home Development Mutual Fund (HDMF), commonly known as Pag-IBIG Fund, for the workers to have access to savings programs, housing loans, and other benefits related to home ownership and social welfare.

Another aspect of putting up and doing business in the Philippines is the establishment of a PHYSICAL OFFICE.  1QZ Philippines can assist you in setting up office/s. Together, we can short list requirements, source out office spaces, equipment and office furniture. Our office setup services can save your company’s time and money, so you can direct your focus on the business.

• Initial consultation;
• Preparation of documents and legal requirements;
• Facilitation of virtual or short-term office space for initial setup;
• Coordination with real estate brokers to locate permanent office;
• Supervision of actual setup of office space through licensed partners;
• Procurement of IT equipment; and
• Facilitating necessary fit-outs for the office space.

We approach each client’s office setup as a unique project, with needs varying from business to business, depending on the specified goals. And whatever the requirements, 1QZ Philippines can make your company’s office setup as quick and easy as possible.

Knowing the different business structures that you may form and how each type differs from the others is essential before you put up a business in the Philippines. Each business structure may vary in terms of legal and tax procedures. Business structures in the Philippines are classified under two categories: foreign and local.

• Branch Office (BO)
  • A branch office is an extension office of a corporation owned by a company based outside the Philippines that implements the business activities of its parent company from outside the country to the Philippines.
  • A Philippine branch office abides not only by the rules and regulations set forth by SEC in the Philippines but also by the rules and regulations of the country where its parent company is based.
• Regional Operating Headquarters (ROHQ)
  • A regional operating headquarters is formed to provide services to the foreign-owned company’s affiliates, branches, or subsidiaries in the Philippines, the Asia-Pacific region, and other foreign markets.
  • Apart from the preceding parties it engages with, an ROHQ is not permitted to solicit or advertise goods and services on behalf of its parent company or any of its affiliates, branches or subsidiaries, whether directly or indirectly.
• Regional Area Headquarters (RHQ) 
  • Regional area headquarters are incorporated to manage a multinational company’s affiliates, branches, and subsidiaries in the Asia-Pacific area.
  • An RHQ is not permitted to generate revenue or transact business from inside the country.
  • A regional area headquarters’ operational expenses are subsidized by its parent company through inward remittances.
• Representative Office (RO)
  • A representative office is the office of a multinational company established in the Philippines to boost its corporate presence locally.
  • It is typically in charge of information dissemination, product marketing, quality control, and communication.
  • A representative office is not separate from its head company in terms of legal personality.
  • An RO is prohibited from earning revenue in the country and charges all its operating costs and liabilities to its head office in another country.

• Sole Propreitorship 
  • Sole ownership or sole proprietorship is a business structure owned by only one person. Under Philippine law, it is subject to an eight percent tax imposed on self-employed individuals.
  • The Philippine law requires sole ownership businesses to secure registration with the DTI (Department of Trade and Industry).
• One Person Corporation (OPC)
  • The difference between a Sole Proprietorship and a One-Person Corporation is the chance for more risks with a Sole Proprietorship. Similar to a Domestic Corporation, the sole shareholder in an OPC can only be held liable up to the extent of their share capital.
  • Under a One Person Corporation, the company’s assets are segregated from the business owner’s assets, which means that creditors can only come after the company’s assets. OPC’s should follow the rules set by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), while a Sole Proprietorship should abide by the laws of the DTI.
• Domestic Corporation
  • Regular domestic corporations have a different juridical character from the stockholders and other corporations involved.
  • Domestic corporations may be compared to a Limited Liability Company (LLC) or a Private Limited Company (PLC) because of their similar control and characteristics as provided by the Corporation Code of the Philippines.
  • The stockholders of a domestic corporation can only be held liable up to the extent of their share capital. A domestic corporation also has its liabilities and must pay its debts legally the same as an LLC.
• Partnership 
  • A Partnership is composed of a minimum of two owners.
  • All the responsibilities and income are shared between the partners.
  • Partnerhsips are registered with the SEC.

Last June 2022, the foreign investment negative list was amended to reflect changes pursuant to Philippine laws. The list is split into Lists A and B. List A may be modified anytime to reflect changes made in specific laws. List B shall not be modified more often than once every two years.

Below are the types of business areas that foreigners are not allowed to own or are limited to engage in:

• Cooperatives, except investments of former natural-born citizens of the Philippines
• Manufacture of firecrackers and other pyrotechnic devices
• Manufacture, repair, stockpiling, and/or distribution of biological, chemical, and radiological weapons and anti-personnel mines
• Manufacture, repair, stockpiling and/or distribution of nuclear weapons
• Mass media, except recording and internet business
• Organization and operation of private detectives, watchmen, or security guards agencies
• Ownership, operation, and management of cockpits
• Practice of professions, except in cases specifically allowed by law
• Retail trade enterprises with paid-up capital of less than P25 million
• Small-scale mining
• Utilization of marine resources in archipelagic waters, territorial sea, and exclusive economic zone, as well as small-scale use of natural resources in rivers, lakes, bays, and lagoons

            Areas Where Up to 25% Foreign Equity Is Allowed

• Private recruitment, whether local or overseas employment; and
• Contracts for the construction of defense-related structures

           Areas Where Up to 30% Foreign Equity Is Allowed

• Advertising

           Areas Where Up to 40% Foreign Equity Is Allowed

• All forms of gambling except those covered by investment agreements with the state-run Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.
• Manufacture, repair, storage, or distribution of products or ingredients requiring police clearance, namely, firearms, gunpowder, dynamite, blasting supplies, ingredients used in making explosives and telescopic sights, sniper scopes, and other similar devices;
• Manufacture and distribution of dangerous drugs;
• Sauna and steam bathhouses, massage clinics, and other similar activities, except wellness centers;
• Micro and small domestic market enterprises with paid-in equity capital of less than the equivalent of US$200,000
• Micro and small domestic market enterprises that involve advanced technology or are endorsed as a start-up or start-up enablers by state agencies
• Those whose majority of direct employees are Filipinos, provided that their Filipino employees should not be fewer than 15, and with a paid-in equity capital of less than the equivalent of US$100,000.

        Aside from the industries mentioned above, foreigners may also fully own their businesses or get one hundred       percent (100%) foreign equity. There are many ways for you to do this. 

        If you need assistance with company incorporation or business registration, we encourage you to contact us for tailored support by scheduling an initial consultation.