Are foreigners allowed to establish a business in the Philippines

LifeIsTennis wrote:

borilove, congratulation on your successful venture in another country . Your message got me thinking and  just wondering if I could duplicate your success there from living and working here in USA .
What I have come accross by reading many forums like this that  Non-Filipino can't own any retail sector business unless  the invested $$ >= 2.5M. so, just wondering how one could legally run a  net cafe, small store, and  other retail businesses?  I may find a trustworthy friend to run the business but how I can earn the profit legally and pay the tax there on my profit when I am not the legitimate partner of the business. Then, there is other part of tax here at home with uncle Sam also .
Would you please help me in understanding the process? I may get a great opportunity  doing small buisness there soon but all these rules and laws are blocking me.

I know many like me really appreciate your contribution here .
Wish you lot of success wherever and whatever you do.

When I used to do business in Korea, if I remember correctly the first $75K of foreign income was tax free on US taxes...What it is today I have no clue...RESEARCH IT...

The first $95,100 in foreign earned income could be excluded in 2012, and will be adjusted upward for inflation for 2013.  To qualify you must be a resident of the country the entire tax year or be in country at least 330 days in any 12 month period.

yeah thats exactly what happened to me and i justsold the bussiness as is.

So which option did you choose?

hi all,

just reading the posts from this forum all very intrested stuff so i thought id register and send this post.i am currently living in the philippines with my fiancee she is a filipino but we met while working on ships for royal carribean.we have been together for 3 years and plan to get married in the near future.we have just come back from our last contract on ships and now intend to start our own business here in the philippines.firstly we want to start with something small just to have a regular income coming into the house while we plan our bigger business idea.advice on a small start up business that would work here would be very helpful.ive been looking into food cart franchising but dont know about it.any help or advive would be very helpful.

salamat

I think FCF is a very good place to start, as these are proven business models, invest/risk is low & good way to learn about running a business in Ph, i doubt you can make enough to live very well on one cart, but if first one works you can expand.

I looked into this in some detail, before realising that as a foreigner i couldn't invest in a retail business (you need $2.5m). Once you are married i guess you can get round that (still a big risk IMO if marriage doesn't work out, but hey...).

That said, I still think best option for any foreigner living in Ph is any business that caters to westerners (so you can charge higher prices) or you can earn in $USD or other developed world foreign currency (internet based etc). Outsourcing fits both bills.



Some useful links to get you started:

entrepreneur.com.ph/franchising/
(this is also a physical magazine which is very good)
businesscoachphil.com/how-to-start-a-food-cart-business
businesscoachphil.com/setting-up-and-managing-a-food-cart-business
businesscoachphil.com/starting-a-food-cart-business-2

Let us know how you get on...

Hi fellow members & founder Mr. Julien,

I'm a newly joined member and it's my honour and great pleasure to be a member here. I've read many posting and suggestions listed herein and I have found it very interesting and helpful.

I am a 50+ year old, Chinese Singaporean and I have acquired my Filipino citizenship thru naturalisation seven months ago. Now I am a retiree (maybe too young to retire eh?) and I am married to my Filipina spouse for 20 years and have a couple of kids and the youngest is 12 years old.

I have bought with me some monies when we moved to the Philippines and I have brought a house and lot but no car yet as I am looking around for a good MPV for my family.

I'd like to ask my fellow members from various countries and if they are some Singaporean here for some suggestion and help in staying and doing a decent business in the Philippines. Currently I am residing in Cavite, Bacoor area.

Kindly help me on these following:
1) I want to know which brand and model of MPV is best for my family daily used.
2) What kind of business is good and profitable for a retiree like me to do.
3) My pay up capital is below the middle-range of P15M to P20M

Kindly help me on these matter as I need all the kind and good advises from you guys. And I know I can't leave my contact details here as it is against the rules. Thank you very much and God bless ikaw lang..

dear Michael,

          My wife runs our business, she is filipina, I am expat. She finances anything, for example, somebody wants to sell a buffalo urgently, she buys it, then sells it at fiesta time etc.

          I have a job but it is writing books  which are published on Amazon kindle in the states so that is okay. My last book was called DAN BROWN'S HELL IS HOME TO HEROES AND ANGELS.  The book sells well In Asia but I pay tax in the states even though I am not American.

         If you have a special skill use that if it doesn't affect Filipinos, otherwise ,if your wife is Filipina let her run the business and you assist from the backroom.

          Don't buy a vehicle unless it is part of a business, a truckfor hire is also a family car. Make all capital have work!

                Good Fortune, but anyway it is a great life here. tom shaw

) I want to know which brand and model of MPV is best for my family daily used. Toyota Innova is a good reliable and affordable car.
2) What kind of business is good and profitable for a retiree like me to do. I would not start any business until you live here for a few years and get to know the business environment. Condos/real estate are a bad investment cause its difficult to resale unless in a prime location. Rental yields are goind down as interest rates increase. Dont do it.
3) My pay up capital is below the middle-range of P15M to P20M. Put it in the bank for now (not a Philippine bank).

michael3 wrote:

Hi fellow members & founder Mr. Julien,

I'm a newly joined member and it's my honour and great pleasure to be a member here. I've read many posting and suggestions listed herein and I have found it very interesting and helpful.

I am a 50+ year old, Chinese Singaporean and I have acquired my Filipino citizenship thru naturalisation seven months ago. Now I am a retiree (maybe too young to retire eh?) and I am married to my Filipina spouse for 20 years and have a couple of kids and the youngest is 12 years old.

I have bought with me some monies when we moved to the Philippines and I have brought a house and lot but no car yet as I am looking around for a good MPV for my family.

I'd like to ask my fellow members from various countries and if they are some Singaporean here for some suggestion and help in staying and doing a decent business in the Philippines. Currently I am residing in Cavite, Bacoor area.

Kindly help me on these following:
1) I want to know which brand and model of MPV is best for my family daily used.
2) What kind of business is good and profitable for a retiree like me to do.
3) My pay up capital is below the middle-range of P15M to P20M

Kindly help me on these matter as I need all the kind and good advises from you guys. And I know I can't leave my contact details here as it is against the rules. Thank you very much and God bless ikaw lang..

There are many factors to consider on your 3 categories...

1. How much capital do you have available to purchasing a MPV and business...Is your land and home paid for or are there mortgage payments...???

2. What is your background in work expertise and that of your spouse???

3. What exactly do you mean by pay up capital...Is that your monthly expenses excluding the home???

Once these disclosures are made then perhaps better advice can come your way...

You mentioned you are a Filipino citizen now which means you probably have lived here close to 10 years give or take...And you live in the Manila area where housing and land can be expensive...It seems to me you should already be aware of the questions you are asking...

Hi Sir, thank you for reply. Here are the tropic been discussed.

1. How much capital do you have available to purchasing a MPV and business...Is your land and home paid for or are there mortgage payments...???

Reply: I brought my house & lot in cash so I don't have mortgage burden. And the MPV budget isn't from my business capital monies.

2. What is your background in work expertise and that of your spouse???

Reply: I worked as a Stocks Broker in SGX (Singapore Stock Exchange) and my spouse is a Department Head in a hotel in Singapore. Both of us has retired.

3. What exactly do you mean by pay up capital...Is that your monthly expenses excluding the home???

Reply: My spouse and I have retired and we have some money from our retirement and saving thru these years of hard works. We only bring half of our money to the Philippines for business and daily expenses and the other half is resting in the SG banks for interest earning.

My Pay-up capital means these monies is for business and I do not need these money for bread & butter as it is already budgeted. I know P15M to P20M isn't a big amount but I believe I can start from small to medium maybe to big, right?

4. You mentioned you are a Filipino citizen now which means you probably have lived here close to 10 years give or take...And you live in the Manila area where housing and land can be expensive...It seems to me you should already be aware of the questions you are asking...

Reply: Sir, you are right about me. I was legally married for 20 years in the Southern Leyte. I came to the Philippines in 1993 to do agriculture business in Southern Leyte island. I stayed there for 5 years and moved bak to Singapore after that cos I have a pair of twin sons. I want them to be educated in SG.

And two years ago when I am near to my retirement age, I applied for Filipino citizenship and I was told that I have to served the remaining 5 years before I can be naturalisation. As the requirement is 10 years to be qualified for application. But with a helps from friend and some connection I manage to acquired my status.

I have read many posting about foreigners like us doing internet cafe, sari sari store and etc. I want to know a more profitable business than these. Cos we foreigner can't survive on the income or profit from these business.

And I am sure you have much experience on these matter as the question you have asked to me. I have lived in the Philippines for many years and didn't have a chance to see a profitable business for foreigner yet.

Does anyone have any good idea or interest in joint-venture proposal. We can work it out, right? Thank you and hope to hear from you kind fellows.

Being the Singapore Dollar is one of the strongest currencies in the world, you would be much smarter to just leave almost all your savings there...15 to 20 million will probably go a lot further there than here...

But if you want a business here than I would go with slippedisk suggestion...Go for a  few franchise businesses like ZAGU for examaple or Greenwich Pizza...The right location could net you well but there are those who go bankrupt so the ZAGU one may not be as large in profits but is probably safer...

Go to the sites slippedisk suggested and make your inquiries..I already have myself...I am leaning toward Mang Inasal...

Good Luck

Hi Sir, Thanks again for your advice and I have kept some of my monies in SG bank for interest earning already.

Now I am looking a 'Philippines Bayad Centre', you know a collection centre for various type of bills payment and remittance plus e-loadingand etc. I ma sure you have heard and came across such collection centre.

The franchise is around P8M and the initiate profit returns is around 15% to 18% but the break even takes two to three years then can yield around 20% to 23%.

What you guy think about this business? Thank you.

michael3 wrote:

Hi Sir, Thanks again for your advice and I have kept some of my monies in SG bank for interest earning already.

Now I am looking a 'Philippines Bayad Centre', you know a collection centre for various type of bills payment and remittance plus e-loadingand etc. I ma sure you have heard and came across such collection centre.

The franchise is around P8M and the initiate profit returns is around 15% to 18% but the break even takes two to three years then can yield around 20% to 23%.

What you guy think about this business? Thank you.

GO FOR IT...SEEMS GOOD TO ME..!!!

michael3 wrote:

Hi Sir, Thanks again for your advice and I have kept some of my monies in SG bank for interest earning already.

Now I am looking a 'Philippines Bayad Centre', you know a collection centre for various type of bills payment and remittance plus e-loadingand etc. I ma sure you have heard and came across such collection centre.

The franchise is around P8M and the initiate profit returns is around 15% to 18% but the break even takes two to three years then can yield around 20% to 23%.

What you guy think about this business? Thank you.

*****************************************

"3) My pay up capital is below the middle-range of P15M to P20M"

Dear Brother:
That's a lot of peso, why are you eager to get into a business? It would seem you could live off the "fat of the land" with that kind of peso in the bank, and in your pocket.  You've seen, and know about life in the Philippines, you know it's a volatile environment, and for most peso is very tight.  Trying to pry money off of people in the Philippines sounds like a Mammoth undertaking, all day long, every day long.

If you wish to work hard, why not Jollibee or McDonalds, they are both big money makers, with peso 20M, you have enough capital to open a US franchise store, or at least close to enough, $500,000.00 USD, is nothing to sneeze at,  so I would "guess?" you could open one of the above franchise's in the Philippines. Guaranteed good money makers I believe...as the ones I go to are always very busy, early-day, middle-day, or late-night, there's always a line.

Its all about the location. Also, its a high risk business as they will receive and hold a lot of cash. If you have employees, may steal or could get robbed.

Make sure you investigate it thoroughly. If possible, location in a large corporate office is advisable. We have one downstairs in my building, but it also competes against BDO and BPI as for bill payment services.

Hey there.. Hope all is well..

Here is my ideas on a business you can make pretty successful if you market correctly and can
establish workable supply contacts.

1.  Solar energy solutions - This is especially sought after in the rural provinces and for stand alone
                                             Power rquirements on outlying islands.

Systems to support homes, stand alone water well needs where there is no power for small communities
and irrigation for farming.

2.  Pre-fab metal building structures of all sizes and necessities.
      The housing market is really up n down there in the Phils... Metal prefab buildings are inexpensive,
       easy to assemble and erect, and can be used in all sorts of places.. Beach huts, beach house, storage
       Bldg.s for businesses, office bldg.s, and list goes on.

       There are quite a few manufacturers of these in China and they can have the units in the phils from
       3 - 10 days.

Add on services to this is electrical installation ( The Solar energy solutions tie in well )  insulation, Aircon
Unit installation etc etc.

Ok.. Those are a few of my ideas.. I may even look into setting something up like this when I finally wander into the Subic Bay / Zambales area next year..

Good luck whatever it is that You decide to do..

JB

hello
i think yes better if u married there but check in internet site embassy or consulat or chamber and what kind of busness u want do

Hi Richwood,

Thank you for your reply and good idea, You are right about the solar energy idea and I think it will work and most welcome in the province area.

In fact I was approached by a Filipino consortium group about doing this in the Southern Leyte and Davao rural area. It's a joint venture between government and private sector but the outlay capital is quite hefty and requires bank's financial assistance.

I am still negotiating with them but I have spoken to a few friend of mine in SG about this. I hope they are interested in this venture. Thank you

Hey there Michael..

I am pretty familiar with the technology, various systems, methodology in order to
create robust and cost effective support solutions.

After my last hoorah ( crappy ) DOD contract I completed in Afghanistan last year
I decided to semi retire and began working with old colleagues in the Oil & Gas
industry ( Offshore platforms ), and the Marine applications area
( seagoing Sailboats & Yachts ) designing and implementing these systems.

So.. My buddies and I started a small company and have been doing offshore contracts
from NC down to Texas.

I have plenty of system component wholesale supplier contacts here in the USA, and I
have done a small amount of wholesale supplier research in Asia recently.

If I can be of any assistance going forward in the future.. Just send me an email.

I should be wandering back over to the Zambales region in the next few months.. I have a
long time friend in the Resto / Catering business that is due for some long
overdue harassment ! he he he

JB

Hi, I have some relevant information for all foreigners who are already or want to move to the Philippines. This information is not to scare you but this can happen to foreigners there.


Philippines Denies Human Rights Inspectors
By Ehollander  |  Posted August 22, 2013  |  Makati, Philippines 46
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In a bold move, Commissioner Mison, Commissioner of the Philippines Bureau of Immigration, denied investigators from the Commission on Human Rights access to the Immigration's Detention Center. Investigators Nick S. Agustin and Mike Corim went to the BI jail to investigate on a complaint made by the Department of Foreign Affairs. They did not announce their visit and after a call to the Commissioner, the jail guards sent the investigators home. By law the investigators can “Exercise visitorial powers over jails, prisons, or detention facilities”. Agustin said he would file a complaint against Mison.  The Department of Foreign Affairs received a complaint from Greek national, Nikolaos Spanoudis regarding arbitrary detention, extortion and denial of medical services.
The Philippines Bureau of Immigration is holding over 150 foreigners, mostly on  minor  visa violations, many of them arrested and detained without arrest warrants and/or without proper hearings or without due process. Some detainees complain they are kidnapped for ransom by the bureau and have to pay huge sums to be deported or stay jailed indefinitely.
Commissioner Mison is “sweet talking” on TV and in the newspapers responding to complaints of detainee's wives regarding their locked-up husbands. “We will act as soon as possible to their grievances and for those scalawags in the bureau, your days are numbered”, Mison said in a newspaper Monday. The reality however, is that since the wives complained, things worsened in the Bicutan Immigration jail.
Not only was the Commission on Human Rights denied access to detainees, also press and lawyers are not allowed to talk with the inmates. Then three Korean nationals were withheld from appearing to their court hearings by Warden Rev Dela Cruz. They were scheduled to appear in various courts on Monday and Tuesday but Dela Cruz would not transport them to the courts citing orders from OIC Mison. This generally means that a hearing is moved one to several months so the Koreans will face longer detention times.

The guards, under command of Dela Cruz, are getting more aggressive against the wives and detainees since their stories about corruption and illegal detention broke. One guard, nicknamed ‘Caloy', made death threads against Jerlen Payot, fiancée of Spanoudis. Payot filed a complaint at the Bicutan police station but as of today the ‘scalawag' Caloy is still at work. He also told the girlfriend of  an American detainee that only legally married wives would be allowed on the weekend family visits, leaving out girlfriends, fiancées and common law wives. Another guard was challenging Turkish detainee Gokhan Tekeli for a fight and insulting his pregnant wife. Warden Dela Cruz did not want to disclose the names of the guards involved and some guards refuse to wear their badges despite strict instructions to wear uniforms and badges all the time.
TAGS: immigration, tourism, mison, detention, philippines, investment
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ekalpoe004 wrote:

Hi, I have some relevant information for all foreigners who are already or want to move to the Philippines. This information is not to scare you but this can happen to foreigners there.


Philippines Denies Human Rights Inspectors
By Ehollander  |  Posted August 22, 2013  |  Makati, Philippines 46
Share

In a bold move, Commissioner Mison, Commissioner of the Philippines Bureau of Immigration, denied investigators from the Commission on Human Rights access to the Immigration's Detention Center. Investigators Nick S. Agustin and Mike Corim went to the BI jail to investigate on a complaint made by the Department of Foreign Affairs. They did not announce their visit and after a call to the Commissioner, the jail guards sent the investigators home. By law the investigators can “Exercise visitorial powers over jails, prisons, or detention facilities”. Agustin said he would file a complaint against Mison.  The Department of Foreign Affairs received a complaint from Greek national, Nikolaos Spanoudis regarding arbitrary detention, extortion and denial of medical services.
The Philippines Bureau of Immigration is holding over 150 foreigners, mostly on  minor  visa violations, many of them arrested and detained without arrest warrants and/or without proper hearings or without due process. Some detainees complain they are kidnapped for ransom by the bureau and have to pay huge sums to be deported or stay jailed indefinitely.
Commissioner Mison is “sweet talking” on TV and in the newspapers responding to complaints of detainee's wives regarding their locked-up husbands. “We will act as soon as possible to their grievances and for those scalawags in the bureau, your days are numbered”, Mison said in a newspaper Monday. The reality however, is that since the wives complained, things worsened in the Bicutan Immigration jail.
Not only was the Commission on Human Rights denied access to detainees, also press and lawyers are not allowed to talk with the inmates. Then three Korean nationals were withheld from appearing to their court hearings by Warden Rev Dela Cruz. They were scheduled to appear in various courts on Monday and Tuesday but Dela Cruz would not transport them to the courts citing orders from OIC Mison. This generally means that a hearing is moved one to several months so the Koreans will face longer detention times.

The guards, under command of Dela Cruz, are getting more aggressive against the wives and detainees since their stories about corruption and illegal detention broke. One guard, nicknamed ‘Caloy', made death threads against Jerlen Payot, fiancée of Spanoudis. Payot filed a complaint at the Bicutan police station but as of today the ‘scalawag' Caloy is still at work. He also told the girlfriend of  an American detainee that only legally married wives would be allowed on the weekend family visits, leaving out girlfriends, fiancées and common law wives. Another guard was challenging Turkish detainee Gokhan Tekeli for a fight and insulting his pregnant wife. Warden Dela Cruz did not want to disclose the names of the guards involved and some guards refuse to wear their badges despite strict instructions to wear uniforms and badges all the time.
TAGS: immigration, tourism, mison, detention, philippines, investment
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Action Man Mison takes law into his own hands – Judge, Jury and Executioner
by bicutandetention on     September 6, 2013
Action Man Mison seems to believe he is above the law, above the courts of the Philippines and is a Judge, Jury and Executioner.

Since he has taken over as OIC Commissioner he has been actively DENYING detainees rights to go to hearings.   For detainees facing cases outside of the Bureau of Immigration it will result in much longer detention times as the detainee can not be deported until such time as those cases are resolved.

Court proceedings in the Philippines are painstakingly slow at the best of times, but with OIC Mison denying the detainee the right to attend a hearing it will automatically add at least a month to their detention each time they are denied the right to attend a hearing.

If eventually found guilty of course this time may be deducted from the sentence, but in most cases of detainees where they are facing charges they are confident of being dismissed and/or acquitted of it means unnecessary and additional ARBITRARY (Illegal) detention at the hands of a power hungry OIC Commissioner.

OIC Mison Action Man takes law into his own hands
OIC Mison Denies detainees right to go to a hearing

In the case above it is even worse it seems the OIC Commissioner is attempting to frustrate justice in that this case is one filed by a detainee against the Bureau of Immigration for Arbitrary Detention, rather than allow the detainee to attend the hearing and face the BI Prosecutor that has been charged with the Arbitrary detention, he is DISAPPROVED the right to attend a hearing and there are even some barely legible hand written notes apparently initialed by OIC Mison implying that he frowns upon the Courts even asking for the attendance of the detainee.

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hi,
what kind of skills do you have?
you can work on your skill and seek for industrial partner.
amidst the mixed culture people,
god has created honest and true people still whom you can trust as business partner.

Sometimes its hurt people like you to heard the true behind the black screen in your country.I am happy with my skills not like you.

There seems to misunderstandings here because of limited English language skills...

ekalpoe004 wrote:

Sometimes its hurt people like you to heard the true behind the black screen in your country.I am happy with my skills not like you.

I may be mistaken but I think LaoAnita was referring to Michael3... NOT YOU...

Hi there, I see your from Manchester (my home city) with similar future plans.. on your return we should meet up to discuss business options in the Philippines.

I have solid proven business plans that I know would work and make money with minimal legislation and fast set up turn around times. I just need to get to the bottom of how to register a business and get a visa for minimum 6 months so I can move there and make it happen.

HI,

i know its an old blog but still i wanted to let you know my vision of an expat with 25 years of experience in Philippines.

Its really not hard to have a business in Philippines.  We have a bit more clearances and permits but not a lot more than say in the US.
Most of what they have here anyway is a soft copy of the US. 
They really welcome foreign investments.  There are even tax holidays (exemptions on VAT or taxes) for foreign investors.
And it is perfectly possible to have a 100 % foreign owned company with a start up capital of 25.000 peso.  Or less if the bank accepts that.
It all depends upon what you want to do.

If you have a serious product or idea, that doesn't rob the people or a concept that is not active in any human trafficing as outsourcing, BPO's or bars, you get lots of support and help to set up your business.

That in some cases you need a Philippine partner is not different than in many other countries. 

I am from Belgium myself, and i have been hassled only one time in my life and that WAS in Belgium.  Philippine people are honest and understanding.  As long as they don't behind the wheels, very patient.

i have for sincere people the possibility to set up within a few days a company active in retail.  In the biggest malls like : shopwise, puregold, waltermart, Robinsons,....  you name it (except SM) and we have a store there.

You want to open a business and make money ?  i can help you.  No franchise nor high investments.  But a legit and good money making one.  And very important, you do not have the hide what you are doing.

the question you should ask is :" what do i want to do that they don't have already ?"  and that is far harder than setting up a company.

Hope i was of some help

Regards

Eric

Eric,

I appreciate you sharing the benefit of your experience, but do you honestly believe a foreigner with no Filipino wife or business partner can easily set up a business here? All the rules & regulations I have researched tell me quite the opposite (in many cases, although not all).

Can you tell us what kind business you have set up & how you did it?

Where is the "support and help to set up your business" you speak of?

Thanks


Nick

hI

Yes it is totally possible to set up a 100 % foreign owned.  But it is important to know for yourself what you want to do.  You need something that is a niche in the market.

And based upon your mission, you have to select what setup is the best for you.  You may not even need a company to make money.

For example, setting up a branch office can be done without or an export company can also be done without.

When you are an American its far easier then a Belgian, and so on.

If you want to open a business that any general Philippine can do, it will be needed to either invest a lot to pay for the remittance or you need to have partners. 

So let's say that you want to open a 'sare sare' store.  Or a simple grocery store.  That will not be possible to do without any local being involved.  But then, why would you want to have this declared ?  They don't either.

Those BPO's or bar/restaurant kind of stuff are too risky.  Those businesses are too far in the picture and need all sorts of licenses. 


Let me know please what activity you would like to start and maybe i can advise you in what i would do if I  were to start something like that.

I have more then one company in PH and have also accountants and lawyers working.  They could always give their opinion.

In general when someone is asking me to set up a company, I recommend him or her to go to the administration where they want to set up the company.  In Manila its different then in Baguio or Talisay (Cebu) or Valencia (Davao).

You have also the barangay with different regulations on permits.  In Manila itself we have barangay that ask us totally different information to obtain the exact same license.  So already in Manila and depending on the officer in charge, the situation is different.  You cannot find that on the net.

i have 27 stores in Manila and we change permits every 3 to 6 months.  I have a leasing officer who i have to engage to follow that up.  But still we get it every time.

My personal opinion, but I do apologize in advance  if i offend anyone here, is that may people in the Philippines think they know how it works.  But they cannot always handle the amount of data thrown at them. 

Go to the administration yourself, and you will find out that it may sometimes be easier than one says on the net.

And one thing i have find out over the years, and i am active in 6 different Asian countries, they like to share all this information with you and support you all the way.  Even though not always without the expectations of some extra cash but if it get things done, why not.

[Moderated: no free ad on the forum pls]

I want to know if foreigners allowed to establish and own a business in Philipines and what is the process ?

I want to start a general trading in Cebu and i will sell products online and retail , its all about skin care products

Wow everyone is so intelligent

@ omso1966 > Please read the above posts please, everything has already been said .

Thank you,

Priscilla
Expat.com team

Hi thanks for that info you've given to Craig, your information were right but this topic is to do with if a foreign can own business not to do with Filipinas . You don't have to slag off Filipinas. Probably you met those bad ones but not all Filipinas are the same.feel sorry for you.

dont even think about it!

you wright not all the 5 fingers are the same. people have to think twice before justice.

To the best of my knowledge the government here has no genuine intention to allow foreign investment and the same is clearly  reflected in their regulations / restrictions on foreign investment unless you are a big business house from china / USA who shall carry the clout of protection from their embassy.....