INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — Business name registrations and renewals filed at the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) hit 236,059 in January, with over 200,000 new ones signing up as retail and trade enterprises continue to make up the largest portion of filers.
Latest data from the DTI’s business name registration system also showed that listings grew by 1.35 percent compared with the 232,916 recorded in the same month in 2023.
Of the total this year, 207,889 — or 88.07 percent — are new registrations while the remaining 50,115 are renewals.
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Business name registration and renewals with the DTI have fluctuated in the past several years, with the numbers reaching 937,423 in 2022, 867,647 in 2021, and 916,164 in 2020.
According to the government agency, its business name registration system was launched in 2019 and was streamlined and fully implemented in 2023.
The January posting had pushed the registration and renewal figures to 258,004 as of February 6.
More than half of the applications, at 178,774 or 69.29 percent, were filed at the barangay level, while those listed in the cities reached 48,706 or 18.88 percent.
Businesses engaged in the wholesale and retail trade, many of which are “sari-sari stores” or small neighborhood shops, as well as the repair of motor vehicles, still accounted for the biggest portion of the list.
Registrations and renewals from this sector reached 156,171, accounting for 60.53 percent of the total.
The accommodation and food service category followed with 32,954, real estate activities with 16,401, and manufacturing with 11,422.
Also in the top business categories are other service activities with 9,962, administrative and support services with 7,680, transportation and storage with 6,278, and professional, scientific, and technical activities with 3,698.
Calabarzon (Region IV-A) still had the highest number of registrations at 44,386, which accounted for 17.20 percent of the total.
This is followed by Central Luzon (Region III) with 29,532, Metro Manila (National Capital Region) with 21,463, Western Visayas (Region VI) with 18,340, and Ilocos Region (Region I) with 17, 271.
Completing the top ten list are Central Visayas (Region VII) with 15,853, Cagayan Valley (Region II) with 12,901, Soccsksargen (Region XI) with 12,578, Caraga (Region XIII) with 11,470, and Northern Mindanao (Region X) with 11,432.