DTI launches new biz registry system

CEBU, Philippines - The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) yesterday launched the Philippine Business Registry (PBR) at the National Economic Research and Business Assistance Center (NERBAC) to provide more convenient services for entrepreneurs in Cebu and other provinces.

PBR is a government-initiated and inter-agency service designed to facilitate business registration-related transactions in a faster and efficient process for businesses.

It integrates all agencies involved in business registration such as DTI, the Securities and Exchange Commission, Cooperative Development Authority, Bureau of Internal Revenue, Social Security System, Home Development Mutual Fund (Pag-ibig), and Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) to work as one offering an ideal transactional environment and streamlining the business registration.

It also aims to strengthen the government’s efforts of providing quality service to the people and realizing its commitment to reduce red tape in the bureaucracy.

DTI Secretary Gregory Domingo, who led the launching, said that PBR is a very important step in the administrators’ pledge to do business, making businesses flourish in a locality.

Unlike before when registration takes 1-2 weeks through manual processing and when agencies meet a quota of slots to be served each day, he added that with PBR, entrepreneurs can go to DTI offices or PBR kiosks, fill out the application form and in just 10-30 minutes, applicants for sole proprietorship can get their Business Name Registration, Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), and Employer Registration Numbers for PhilHealth, SSS, and Pag-ibig.

Yesterday, a PBR kiosk was launched in Quezon City Hall and now, Domingo said they are working with Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama to launch another PBR kiosk in Cebu City Hall on April 19.

Rama, on the other hand, expressed his eagerness to cooperate with DTI as a sign of unity for businesses to flourish.

“We must get involved. We can only make Cebu the best if we invest at the best time. There is beauty in togetherness. Let’s all be one,” he stated.

Meanwhile, Regional Director Asteria Caberte said that the web-based system shall serve as a one-stop shop for entrepreneurs who need to transact with several agencies before operating a business.

She added that since each of the agencies’ computerized registration systems are interlinked, applicants need not to physically go to each agency to register their businesses.

“It had been very difficult for business registrations. But that’s the thing in the past. Now, it will only take less than 10 minutes and we hope there will be more local government units to participate,” Caberta said.

She noted that the DTI Region 7 is looking forward for PBR to be promoted especially in the capital cities and growth centers of the region. Caberte also hopes that more private sectors will support the new system and aside Cebu City, they are also targeting Mandaue City for another PBR kiosk possibly this year.

Aside from the speed and ease of business-related transactions, according to her, PBR promises transparency to the public, at the same time, inspiring the competitiveness of the locality, laying down a more conducive environment for investments.

Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. President Eric Mendoza said that the new registry system is easier and suitable since the agencies are already connected and local government units can also participate in entrepreneurial activity.

“We want to serve the public in a more convenient way and the city is also continuously working on that,” he said.

As of now, there are already over 100 transactions nationwide using the PBR and DTI is aiming to make it available in different major cities and municipalities through its kiosks.

PBR’s second phase which include the interconnection of agencies and LGUs spent about P20 million and according to DTI, the hardware of a certain kiosk composing of the computer and the server cost P300,000 and is cheaper than the software.

Moreover, the budget of the local government unit participating in this new registry system is dependent on its status and its technology level. However, the software of the PBR is shouldered by DTI itself.

Entrepreneurs must not also worry since security features and procedures are also part of PBR’s design system to prevent hacking and other illegal online activities.

It also has a business registry search facility which the clients can use in checking whether the name of the business to be put up is already registered with DTI or SEC to avoid legal problems in the future.

The PBR launch was also attended by DTI-Cebu Provincial Director Nelia Navarro, SEC Director Lindeza Gavino, SSS Assistant Vice President Helen Solito, Philhealth Vice President William Chavez, Pag-IBIG Manager Rio Teves and BIR 7 Regional Director Rodita Galanto. It is also participated by LGU partners such as Moalboal, Compostela, Alcoy, Toledo, Cordova, Balamban, , Liloan, Barili and Dalaguete and other public and private sectors. — (FREEMAN)