The Philippine Business Hub (PBH), a single online platform for registering businesses, was officially launched by key government agencies at the Quezon City Hall.
The Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA), Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) led the launch of the PBH. The Quezon City government also hosted the PBH launch.
The PBH, formerly known as the Central Business Portal (CBP), reduced the length of days for registering businesses from 33 days and 13 steps to only seven days with only one step. The said portal can be accessed through business.gov.ph.
Since its launch in January 2021, at least 703 corporations and 6,729 sole proprietorships have registered into the PBH.
As part of the PBH’s new look, the Philippine Business Regulations Information System (PBRIS) was integrated into the platform.
The PBRIS, an ARTA-led initiative, is an online platform that provides accessible information on the Philippine Regulatory Management System and the laws and regulations that are relevant to the public.
More information on the PBH and the different types of businesses are also available on the PBH website.
During his sixth and final State of the Nation Address (SONA) in July 2021, President
Rodrigo Duterte called on the subsequent administrations to continue using the PBH.
ARTA Officer-in-Charge and Undersecretary Ernesto Perez presented the timeline of the creation of the PBH and how several government agencies came together to make it possible.
“We have laid down the groundwork and we are doing things right.”
In his speech, Perez called on other government agencies to continue working together to further reduce the number of days and steps for registering businesses into one day and one step.
“I don’t think it’s impossible because we have laid down the groundwork and we are doing things right. It’s not an impossible dream,” he said.
“Starting something completely new may be the most difficult task, but ARTA, together with our partner agencies, is doing what we can to make it swift and more efficient for the people. Our role in government is to make the opening of this door as smooth and hassle-free, and to keep it as open as possible so others can enter this world of new opportunities,” Perez stressed.
“And for our beloved Filipinos, we are doing what we can to really fulfill the mandate to make doing business in the country easy and provide efficient services for all. All we seek is your support and, of course, utilize the services that we provide, because this is all for your advantage and convenience. Rest assured that we will not stop here, but will continue to develop programs and initiatives that will improve our country and make your lives easier,” he added.
DTI Undersecretary Ireneo Vizmonte expressed the DTI’s commitment to supporting initiatives in line with Republic Act No. 11032 or the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018.
“The Department of Trade and Industry, as chair of the Ease of Doing Business and Anti-Red Tape (EODB-ART) Advisory Council remains steadfast in its commitment to pursue the provisions of Republic Act No. 11032 on the objectives indicated in the law including the aspirations of its authors,” Vizmonte said.
Meanwhile, DICT Acting Secretary Manny Caintic also thanked ARTA for breaking down silo systems between government agencies to work on the PBH.
“The dream is for the Philippine Business Hub to be the only place you go to as a business to register, pay taxes, pay your social services for your employees, and the like.”
Caintic also clarified that the end goal for the PBH is not just registering businesses, but to be the sole platform that people go to for the whole life cycle of a business.
“The dream is for the Philippine Business Hub to be the only place you go to as a business to register, pay taxes, pay your social services for your employees, and the like. So, nandoon palang tayo sa phase 1… So, it’s not just from registration, it will be from the birth to death of any business,” he said.
Citing data, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte said up to 95 percent of the city’s business owners secured their business permits through the city’s online platform.
Belmonte said the local government is optimistic that 100 percent of the city’s business owners will embrace their online business permit and licensing system by the end of the year.
“Kaisa niyo ang lungsod Quezon sa pagbaklas ng lahat ng red tape sa gobyerno,” the lady mayor stressed.
“Quezon City will continue to strive to be the epicenter of innovative reforms and game-changing improvements to programs and services that are more efficient, convenient, and time and resource-saving, not only to QCitizens, but to all our constituents,” she added.
The Wallace Business Form founder and chairman Peter Wallace, EODB-ART Advisory Council private sector representative, congratulated the Philippine government on the launch of the PBH.
Wallace also reminded the government that they must take action to implement all the reforms that they are planning down to the grassroots level in order to impact the lives of the Filipino public.
Undersecretary Carlos Quita, Deputy Director-General for Administration, Finance, and Special Programs called on government workers to continue working beyond the PBH launch to ensure that it is being implemented properly.
“A project or an initiative such as the PBH is only as good as the implementors… this goes to show the importance of the people that will actually be implementing this project or initiative by the government. So, your passion and commitment are enjoined,” Quita said.
Other agencies present during the launch include the Social Security System (SSS), Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), Home Development Fund (Pag-IBIG), Department of Finance (DOF), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP), Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA).
