Q: I heard that, aside from DTI and BIR, there are many other agencies that I have to register my business in. How do I know which agencies I have to go to?

A: The following is a list of offices that you must visit before you operate your business.

1. To register your business name, go to:

• (a) The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI ), if your business is a single proprietorship
• (b) The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) , if it is a partnership or a corporation 
• (c) Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) , if it is a cooperative
  

2. To obtain your Barangay Clearance to operate your business, go to the barangay hall of the barangay where your business is located.

If your business is inside a subdivision, you will also have to obtain clearance from the Homeowners' Association concerned.

3. To get your Business Permit, go to the city hall or municipal hall in the place where your business is located.

4. To obtain a business taxpayer identification number (TIN), register your books of accounts and point-of-sales (POS) machines, and request permission to print and issue receipts, go to the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) , more specifically, the BIR Revenue District Office where your business is located.

5. To obtain social security numbers for your employees, go to the Social Security System (SSS) .

6. To register your business as an employer of five or more workers (if applicable), go to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

7. To comply with RA 7742, register your employees with the Home Development Mutual Fund, the agency that administers the Pag-Ibig Fund .

8. To comply with the New National Health Insurance Act, register your employees with the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) .

9. You also have to clear your business with the specific regulatory body that oversees the type of business that you own. For instance, if your business is a learning institution, get a permit or clearance from the Department of Education.