PBR Soft Launch

July 9, 2008 was a red-letter day for the Philippine Business Registry (PBR), the online registry and business registration facility that highlights the collaborative efforts of national and local government agencies to help streamline business registration procedures in the country. The day marked not only the opening of the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise (MSME) Development Week but the soft launch of the PBR as well. The PBR's on-line business registration for sole proprietorships, which are usually MSMEs, was showcased during the event. A PBR kiosk that can accept new business name and TIN application will be stationed at the Megatrade Hall, 5th level, Bldg. B, SM Megamall until July 13th.

Presently, the PBR can accept applications for new sole proprietorship businesses. It links the DTI Business Name Registration System (BNRS), BIR eReg system and Business Permit and Licensing System (BPLS) of the pioneering local government units (LGUs) that have connected to PBR, namely the cities of Caloocan and Mandaluyong. Businesses located at other cities and municipalities can still use the facility for DTI and BIR registration.

More cities will be linking up with the PBR soon. Testing at the Cities of Taguig and Navotas in the NCR, Cities of San Fernando and Angeles in Region III and General Santos City in Region XII are underway and are targeted to be completed within the next few weeks. Meanwhile, technical discussions have already commenced with the cities of Marikina, Makati, and Valenzuela while Quezon City, Las Piñas, and Pasay have shown their commitment to join the project by signing the PBR Memorandum of Agreement.

Other up-coming features will be the application for partnerships and corporations at the SEC, registration with the Social Security System (SSS), PhilHealth, PAG-IBIG, Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) and other licensing agencies, business renewal, business matching, online payment, and report generation facilities.