What is the Most Business Friendly City in the Philippines?

If you’re a Filipino businessman, entrepreneur, capitalist, investor or just a curious business minded person, you might have asked what is the most business friendly city in the Philippines. Recognizing Philippine cities to be convenient when it comes to opening and registering a new business gives a brighter hope for our country’s development since these new companies, whether small or big, are the backbone of our national economy. New firms promise contribution to our local and national economic growth. They also provide more job opportunities to local people. Thus, if starting a business is made easier, economic growth also comes nearer for our nation and for the Filipinos.

So which among the cities in the Philippines is the most business friendly? According to the study of doing business in 25 cities in the country which is co-published by the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the City of General Santos is where starting a business is the easiest. Starting a business in General Santos City only takes 17 procedures and 22 days, and it only costs 15.3% of income per capita. The average of starting a business in a Philippine city takes an average of 18 procedures and 33 days, and it costs 24.4% of income per capita.

Next to General Santos is Davao City where business owners need 17 procedures, 27 days, and cost of 15.3% of income per capita to set up their new businesses. In the third spot is Taguig, where it will require 16 procedures and 28 days, and will cost 23.2% of income per capita to start a business. The country’s largest and richest cities, such as Quezon City, Makati and Manila are not even in the top 10. Quezon City is in the top 12, where it takes 16 procedures and 36 days to open a business. Manila is in the 17th place, where it takes only 15 procedures but 38 days to start a new firm. Makati is in the 20th position, where you will need 19 procedures and 33 days to start operating your business. Among the 25 Philippines Cities studied, San Juan City is the least business friendly city, where it takes 21 procedures, 39 days and cost of 26.3% of income per capita to set up a new business.

The study of the 25 cities was included in the report titled “Doing Business in the Philippines 2011”, which is a copublishment of World Bank and the IFC. This is the second report in a series analyzing business regulations from the perspective of a small to midsize domestic firm in Philippine cities. Aside from ranking the most business friendly cities in the country, the report also includes the most convenient city when it comes to obtaining construction permits (Davao City) and the easiest when it comes to registering a property (Valenzuela).

To move our country to economic progress, we should not only consider the national politics and leadership, but we should also ensure that the local government leaders we elect and put in the positions are responsible and active enough in promoting a more efficient and convenient business registration process. This will not only help businessmen or entrepreneurs to expedite the operation of their business, but this will also accelerate growth of our local and national employment rate and economic development.

Source: Doing Business in the Philippines 2011: World Bank and International Finance Commission