DTI-Negros Occidental registers 12,536 enterprises in 2018

THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Negros Occidental has registered 12,536 businesses in the province last year, almost 17 percent higher than 10,706 in 2017.

In the data obtained from DTI-Negros Occidental it showed that of the total number of registered businesses, 10,894 are new while the remaining 1,642 are for renewals.

In 2016, the agency registered 7,562 enterprises. Thus, the increase in 2017 was pegged at 41 percent, it added.

Engiemar Tupas, senior trade and industry development specialist of DTI-Negros Occidental, said the increase in business registration is again mainly attributed to the establishment of Negosyo Centers in the province.

Aside from delivering entrepreneurial and business development interventions to local micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), the facilities are also providing business name registration services.

In Negros Occidental, 23 Negosyo Centers have been established since 2015.

Unlike the previous years, enterprises in some localities outside Bacolod City no longer need to process their business name registration at the latter.

They can already do it through the Negosyo Centers nearest them, Tupas said.

“Negosyo Centers have enabled the agency to bring its services closer to the people especially among MSMEs,” he added.

The establishment of Negosyo Centers is provided under the Republic Act 10644, or the Go Negosyo Act.

Aside from accepting and facilitating business name registration applications, it provides MSMEs the ease of doing business and facilitates access to grants and other forms of financial assistance, and shared service facilities, among others.

The law also aims to ensure management guidance, assistance, and improvement of the working conditions of enterprises, and facilitate market access and linkage services for entrepreneurs.

It can be recalled that in 2014, the DTI implemented the streamlining of Business Permits and Licensing System.

This was mandated under the 2013 joint administrative order of the DTI and Department of Interior and Local Government, requiring all enterprises, including public utility vehicles to register.

Since business registration is renewable every five years, DTI-Negros Occidental projected a reduction in registration until 2017.

But the province's growing economy and its business-enabling environment are driving up the creation of more enterprises, Tupas said.

Tupas earlier said the economy is really doing good as manifested in many developments including the construction boom.

“In effect, more enterprises result to generation of more employment in the province,” he reiterated.

For 2018, DTI-Negros Occidental again noted the bigger volume of registrants during the first quarter of the year.

The DTI official explained that most businesses were processing their renewals, especially in January.

In terms of requirements, registrants are required to bring only photocopies of their valid identification cards.

The same rate applies for registration fee. The DTI collects P215 from businesses within the barangays and P515 for those in cities and municipalities.

The fee is P1,015 for regional businesses, and P2,015 for those national in scope, Tupas said.

“Registrants are urged to register first with the DTI before proceeding to the Bureau of Internal Revenue and local government unit in processing their mayor's permit,” he added.