Statement of DTI Secretary Ramon M. Lopez for the 
Ceremonial Signing of the MOAs on Business Name Registration System (BNRS) Next Generation
September 27, 2019, Ayuntamiento, Manila

Good morning. Hindi po Super Mon, super servant. Magandang umaga po sa inyong lahat. Of course, unang una sa ating host for this event, Treasurer Sally De Leon, ang amin pong kasangga in terms of digital transformation. Aside from providing this venue, actually, may approval system that we have to secure from the Bureau of Treasury for these e-payment transactions for governments. Thank you for the approval, as well as signing with us the Memorandum of Agreement.

Same gratitude to Deputy Treasurer Sharon and I’d like to greet of course our partners, Landbank Executive Vice President Liduvino Geron, kay Mr. Ferdie Perez of Globe, sa ating long-time partner Mr. Doy Vea.

From our end, wala siya dito because she’s doing another representation abroad si Usec. Fita Aldaba, who’s the head of the Competitiveness and Innovation Group. But she’s not only represented, nandito po ngayon ang ating punong abala, si Asec. Jean Pacheco and her team. Congratulations.

Usec. Boy, of course, Asec. Demphna. Usec. Boy handles the Management Services Group and our IT Group, especially, always cooperative and equally passionate in digitally transforming DTI. This is only one transaction in the DTI among many processes. We are converting everything online.

This is really consistent with the mandate of our President, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte. Alam niyo naman ang ating Presidente. Ayaw niya nang may pumipila, pabalik-balik, matagal naghihintay. Ayaw niya na may naabutan ng lunch break, dapat tuluy-tuloy ang processing. And to us, ease of doing business is you can put everything here, online. That’s the easy way of doing business.

That’s the reason why we’re decided in this BNRS Next Gen. I’ll tell you, there are other advantages. The general advantage, of course, is that it’s a stronger system and a more stable system. In terms of business names registered under the new system are now based on the new Philippine Standard Industry Classification (PSIC) Code.

Early renewal period is extended to 180 days, before it’s 90 days. So mas matagl na ‘yung renewal period, prior to expiration. Before it’s a website system. Now, a QR code is added for transparency and accountability. It’s also, of course, compliant with the Data Privacy Act. Also, regional and provincial directors are available for localized certifications, and many more. Three are many advantages to this BNRS Next Gen system.

This is just the beginning. What we are seeing is the registration of the business name system, which is part of the DTI. As you know, if you are a sole proprietorship, DTI ‘yan. If you are registering corporations, SEC [Securities and Exchange Commission]. So, SEC should be eventually transforming into this kind of system. Wherein you can transact from anywhere, register and pay. And have a printed certificate. But if you want an original SEC certificate, doon ka lang pupunta sa SEC, to get it afterwards.

But really, what we are working on the EODB Council, of course with the help of the new Director General of the Anti-Red Tape Authority, we’re continuing with these EODB reforms. You know, in the World Bank ranking, ten indicators ‘yun. First indicator pa lang, starting a business, we don’t rank high there ever since. But because of reforms, sa DTI, walang problema—9 minutes, you are registered, under this system. Kaya ng mabilis sa sole prop. May problema lang sa corporations sa ngayon. I’m just saying that they’re updating their system. But you have to go to SEC, SSS, Philhealth, PAG-IBIG, Mayor’s permit, BIR, ang daming processes.

Now, we plan to put everything in phones. This is the grand project, into one business portal. Dito ka na mag-fill up. SEC, fill up the field, submit. Then you go to the next. SSS, PAG-IBIG, Philhealth. And for similar information, you don’t have to retype those. There will be different information fields that will be used by all these agencies, even up to the Mayor’s permit. Dapat may automatic na pag-load at approval, because you’re just registering a business permit.

What we’re saying in the business name registration, this is end-to-end. But for the whole business registration, again it composes of different agencies, up to the BIR [Bureau of Internal Revenue], telling us to get the receipts, pick up na lang sa BIR after. But in one sitting, hopefully in one hour, there should be approval already. Then issuance of digital certificates. Of course, you need the plaka or registration certificate, you can claim it after. But hopefully in one sitting, nandiyan na lahat.

Give us a few months. We’re working with the DICT [Department of Information and Communications Technology] and other agencies. We are possibly seeking help from the private sector for some parts, so we can act as one nation. Best practice system so we can address the pain points of businesses, entrepreneurs. We have reported this to the President. We are hoping for a zero-based approach, in terms of really developing the application, systems, and processes. So that we can really come up with a very simplified starting a business process.

With that system, one portal, one e-payment, with our partners here, Landbank, Paymaya, GCash, and kung sino pa. We’ll hopefully be having a much improved EODB ranking that will come out end of October. Even without this digitalization, reserba na natin ‘to next year. For the next survey, we’ll even improve the improved ranking, in-assume ko na.

With that, we’re very happy with the cooperation. This is really aligned with the priorities of the President to make life easier and comfortable for all. The best way to make that a reality is to make everything online.

Thank you to all our partners and good morning sa ating lahat.