One-stop shop for bizmen to be launched in Leyte soon

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

PALO, Leyte -- Setting up a business will become easier with the launching of a one-stop registration program for would-be entrepreneurs, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) regional office said.

Cynthia Nierras, DTI-Eastern Visayas regional director, said the registration program was recently launched in Metro Manila and would soon be launched in the region.

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"Ormoc City will be the first among the areas outside Metro Manila that will join in the Philippine Business Registry (PBR). The first station was opened at a department store in Manila late last month," Nierras said.

She said the PBR system seeks to reduce red tape by allowing an applicant immediate access to five agencies: the DTI, Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), Social Security System (SSS), Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth), and the Home Development Mutual Fund (Pag-Ibig Fund).

"The process could be done in a matter of 30 minutes, instead of days," Nierras said.

She said Ormoc was chosen for the PBR because the city has already streamlined its business registration processes and are computerized.

The PBR is a web-based system that shall serve as a one-stop shop for entrepreneurs who need to transact with several agencies to be able to start operating a business.

Each of the agencies' computerized registration systems will be interlinked so that applicants need not physically go to each agency to register their businesses.

At present, sole proprietorships can already validate existing/register their Business Names from the DTI, get or validate their existing Tax Identification Numbers from the BIR and employer registration numbers from the SSS, PhilHealth and Pag-Ibig Fund through the PBR system.

Sole proprietors may opt to apply from computer cafés or their homes/office using their PCs with Internet connection or go to computer cafés or DTI Offices with designated PBR kiosks or tellers and register through them.

Application through a teller will involve submission of a filled up application form which may be downloaded from the website or completed and printed by the public online for submission to the PBR kiosks or tellers. (Leyte Samar Daily Express)