Small businessmen in Central Luzon remain optimistic about the prospect of doing business in the region despite the pandemic. Based on initial data from the Business Name (BN) office of the Department of Trade and Industry Regional Office III, new registrants are now lining up to process their business name registration and renewal, despite a sharp downturn in the number of business name registrations in April, 2020.
In April, 2020, when six of the seven provinces of Central Luzon were under the Enhanced Community Quarantine(ECQ), the business name offices of DTI Central Luzon registered only 182 registrations, all online, 170 of which are new BNs, while there were only 12 renewals. For May, 2020, when quarantine restrictions were eased to Modified ECQ and General Community Quarantine (GCQ), these numbers have significantly risen to a total of 1,498 Business Name registrations for Central Luzon. Registrants from Nueva Ecijatotaled the most at 378, while Pampanga followed with 322 BNs. Tarlac tallied 268 BNs while Bulacan listed 214 and Zambales had 133. Aurora registered 104 BNs while Bataan had 79 BNs.
DTI-3 Regional Director Judith P. Angeles noted the optimism of the small business community despite the pandemic. She cited that for the regional office alone this month of June, a total of 182 new business name were registered while 39 were renewed as compared to 111 new BNs in the past month. She also cited that the DTI, even during the quarantine period, has supported the unhampered movement of goods and the gradual easing of restrictions to allow most businesses to operate and earn. She also noted that the DTI will continue to promote business development in the countryside even with the pandemic by instituting technology driven support to MSMEs like online learning tools and Webinars. The agency is also promoting contactless trading through the “Bagsakan” trade fair system where selling is done online.
Because of the pandemic and the quarantine, physical registration of business name has been hindered. The DTI however has since created the online platform for Business Name Registration System where registration can be fully done online. Payment for the Business Name certificate can be done through GCash, Paymaya and other online payment services.
