From 1,753 during the pre-quarantine first quarter of 2020, the number of online businesses that registered their business names with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) surged to a record high 75,876 as of September 2, 2020.
In a statement on September 8, 2020, the DTI said the total number of business names registered with the Business Name Registration Division (BNRD) increased to 712,657 as of September 2.
This is 12% higher than the 637,690 total business names registered for the entire 2019.
Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez said DTI saw a drastic increase at the height of the implementation of stringent quarantine measures, when BN applications reached 9,692 in May and peaked in June with the registration of over 33,000 business names.
“The silver lining in Covid-19 is the accelerated adoption of ecommerce. Hence, the DTI is also increasing our efforts to promote ecommerce by building trust between consumers and merchants, and focusing on the digitalization of our micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs),” Lopez said.
He also said this indicates the growing adoption by citizens of digital transactions in government.
“We are pleased to know that our citizens are starting their businesses right by registering their business with appropriate government agencies, such as the DTI,” he said.
“I think the end to end registration system is the reason for the increase. With the online business name registration system (BNRS), I believe that our entrepreneurs find it easier to comply as they can finish the entire registration process within eight minutes. This platform is readily available to the public in the comfort of their own homes,” he added.
The trade chief emphasized that the migration of business registration to the digital platform was part of the government’s ultimate push for ease of doing business.
Lopez issued Department Administrative Order (DAO) 18-07 on the Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations of 2018 of Act 3883 in 2018 to make BN registration easier and more convenient.
The following year, the BNRS Next Gen was launched allowing the end-to-end online registration of BNs.
Sole proprietors may submit applications for BN registration (new and renewal), pay the registration fee via credit card, Gcash, Paymaya, and Landbank’s Link Biz portal and download their certificate of BN registration through the BNRS Next Gen anytime, anywhere using their mobile devices connected to the internet.
Aside from the increase in the number of total businesses registered, there was also a surge in people transacting payments online.
“DTI is closely working with fellow government agencies and the private sector to address speed, security and structure,” Lopez said.
“We shall comply with the President’s directive during the SONA to work with Congress and address the needs of the consumers while promoting the growth of e-Commerce in the country. Our focus is to increase market access through digitalization and logistics integration,” he added.
BNRS can be accessed by visiting bnrs.dti.gov.ph. (Ventures Cebu)
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