On 28 January 2021, the Central Business Portal ("CBP") Phase 1 was launched by the Department of Information and Communications Technology ("DICT") and the Anti-Red Tape Authority ("ARTA"), which is envisioned to be an online one stop shop to access business-related information and transactions, such as securing business permits, licenses, and clearances. Under Republic Act No. 11032 or the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018, DICT was tasked with establishing, operating and maintaining a CBP for purposes of eliminating bureaucratic red tape, averting graft and corruption, and promoting transparency in business transactions. Additionally, the law mandated local government units ("LGUs") to create a Business One Stop Shop ("BOSS") for the Business Permit and Licensing System of LGUs for the purpose of receiving and processing applications, receiving payments, and for the issuance of approved licenses, clearances, permits, or authorisations.
The national government agencies who have partnered up with ARTA include DICT, the Securities and Exchange Commission, Bureau of Internal Revenue ("BIR"), Social Security System ("SSS"), Philippine Health Insurance Corporation ("Philhealth"), Home Development Mutual Fund ("Pag-IBIG"), and the Food and Drug Administration ("FDA"). Following a Joint Memorandum Circular among the aforementioned agencies and the Department of Finance, Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Interior and Local Government, and the Cooperative Development Authority, ARTA was directed to oversee the implementation of the CPB and provide support to the participating agencies.
Through CBP Phase 1, a Unified Application Form is provided for all agencies involved in the business registration process, eliminating the input and submission of redundant forms to different agencies. The CBP also facilitates business registration with SEC, generation of BIR tax identification number, and payments of filing and registration fees to BIR. For employers, they may register to obtain the employer’s numbers for SSS, Philhealth, and Pag-IBIG, noting that a Unified Employee Reporting Module for SSS, Philhealth, and Pag-IBIG is provided by the CBP.
Applications for secondary license featuring FDA's License to Operate for Center for Drugs may also be done through the portal.
The CBP is now linked to the online business permitting system of several LGUs including Quezon City, Parañaque City, Baler, and Limay, among others. Developments to the CBP are underway to integrate the online business permitting systems of other LGUs together with additional features.
The CBP is accessible through this link: https://business.gov.ph/home.
