Guides for foreign founders in the Philippines.
Current, decision-stage guidance on incorporation, capital rules, visas and compliance — including the 2026 FINL / EO 113 changes.
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How to Set Up a Company in the Philippines as a Foreigner (2026)
The complete 2026 guide for foreigners: ownership rules, capital, entity choice, visas, timeline and cost — with the current FINL and CREATE MORE changes.
Read guide ->The 13th FINL (EO 113) Explained for Foreign Founders (2026)
What the 13th Foreign Investment Negative List — Executive Order 113, effective 2 May 2026 — changes for foreigners setting up a company in the Philippines.
Read guide ->Which Entity Type Should a Foreigner Choose in the Philippines?
Domestic corporation, One Person Corporation, branch, or representative office — a clear comparison of Philippine entity types for foreign founders in 2026.
Read guide ->How Much It Costs to Set Up a Company in the Philippines (2026)
A realistic breakdown of what it costs to incorporate in the Philippines in 2026 — SEC fees, capital requirements, professional fees, and ongoing compliance.
Read guide ->Planning tool
Company setup checklist
A practical pre-incorporation checklist for foreign founders preparing SEC, BIR, LGU, and bank documents.
Open checklist ->Planning tool
Ownership screening worksheet
A short screening path for activity, customers, export ratio, nationality, and capital exposure.
Open worksheet ->Planning tool
Visa route planner
Compare the main founder and employee visa paths before you file or hire.
Open planner ->Planning tool
Compliance calendar brief
The deadlines and recurring filings foreign-owned companies should plan around from day one.
Open brief ->Planning tool
Payroll readiness checklist
A setup list for employer registration, payroll cycles, statutory contributions, and first hires.
Open checklist ->Company setup
Entity choice, SEC registration, capital, banking, permits, and setup timelines.
Corporate Secretary vs Resident Agent vs Director in the Philippines (2026)
Foreign founders often confuse three different Philippine corporate roles. This guide explains who appoints each one, what each does, and which entity needs it.
Read ->EOR vs Setting Up a Philippine Entity: Which Comes First? (2026)
Compare an Employer of Record with incorporating a Philippine entity: control, compliance, cost shape, IP, and when each route fits.
Read ->Foreign-Owned Import and Distribution Company in the Philippines (2026)
How foreign founders should separate import, wholesale distribution, and retail before setting up a Philippine company: ownership, capital, licences, and practical sequencing.
Read ->PEZA Registration Requirements for IT and Export Companies (2026)
A practical PEZA registration checklist for IT and export enterprises: qualifying activity, zone location, application, pre-registration documents, and the certificate.
Read ->Holding Company in the Philippines: A Foreign Investor's Setup Guide
When a Philippine holding company makes sense for a foreign investor, what it can and cannot do, and the ownership, capital, registration, and land-holding checks to run first.
Read ->How Long Does It Take to Register a Company in the Philippines? (2026)
A realistic stage-by-stage timeline for foreigners registering a company in the Philippines, plus what speeds it up and what slows it down.
Read ->How to Set Up a BPO in the Philippines: A Founder's Guide (2026)
How foreign founders set up a BPO or IT-BPM company in the Philippines — entity, PEZA/BOI incentives, office, hiring, and data privacy.
Read ->Representative Office vs Branch Office in the Philippines (2026)
Foreign founders comparing a representative office and a branch office in the Philippines: capital, liability, tax, and which fits your plan.
Read ->RHQ vs ROHQ in the Philippines: Which Regional HQ Structure? (2026)
Compare RHQ vs ROHQ in the Philippines: income vs non-income mandate, remittance thresholds, permitted activities, and how CREATE/CREATE MORE reshaped tax.
Read ->SEC Annual Compliance in the Philippines: GIS & AFS (2026)
How foreign founders keep a Philippine company compliant with the SEC: the GIS, the AFS, eFAST filing, deadlines, and the penalties for filing late.
Read ->The 2026 Annual Compliance Calendar for Philippine Companies
Key 2026 deadlines for Philippine corporate compliance — BIR filings, SEC AFS and GIS submissions, and quarterly tax returns — in one reference guide.
Read ->Which Entity Type Should a Foreigner Choose in the Philippines?
Domestic corporation, One Person Corporation, branch, or representative office — a clear comparison of Philippine entity types for foreign founders in 2026.
Read ->BIR Registration: A 2026 Guide for New Companies
Step-by-step BIR registration for new Philippine companies in 2026 — TIN, Certificate of Registration, books of accounts, and what changed under the EOPT Act.
Read ->How Much It Costs to Set Up a Company in the Philippines (2026)
A realistic breakdown of what it costs to incorporate in the Philippines in 2026 — SEC fees, capital requirements, professional fees, and ongoing compliance.
Read ->Doing Business in the Philippines: A Foreigner's 2026 Guide
What foreign founders actually need to know about operating a business in the Philippines in 2026 — ownership, tax, hiring, visas, banking, and the regulatory environment.
Read ->How to Set Up a Company in the Philippines as a Foreigner (2026)
The complete 2026 guide for foreigners: ownership rules, capital, entity choice, visas, timeline and cost — with the current FINL and CREATE MORE changes.
Read ->Opening a Corporate Bank Account in the Philippines (Foreigners)
What foreigners need to open a Philippine corporate bank account in 2026 — documents, common hurdles, and how Chamberlain helps you get set up fast.
Read ->PEZA vs BOI in 2026: Which Incentive Is Right for Your Business?
PEZA and BOI incentives compared for 2026 — ITH periods, the 5% SCIT vs 20% EDR CIT, location requirements, eligible activities, and how CREATE MORE changed the calculus.
Read ->SEC eSPARC & OneSEC: Registering Your Company Online in the Philippines (2026)
How the SEC's eSPARC portal and OneSEC dashboard work for online company registration in the Philippines in 2026 — what's digital, what still isn't, and what to expect.
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Foreign ownership
FINL, Anti-Dummy risk, ownership caps, capital thresholds, and nationality-specific setup notes.
Can a Foreigner Open a Restaurant in the Philippines?
How foreign ownership, restaurant operations, retail-trade rules, capital, SEC registration, local permits, and founder work authorisation fit together before opening a Philippine restaurant.
Read ->Can a Foreigner Open a Consulting Company in the Philippines?
A practical guide to foreign ownership, capital, professional-licence boundaries, registration, tax, and visa planning for a Philippine consulting company.
Read ->Foreign-Owned Real Estate Company in the Philippines: What You Can Structure
What a foreign investor can and cannot do through a Philippine real-estate company, including land nationality rules, leasing, development, brokerage, and the structure checks to run before incorporation.
Read ->The Anti-Dummy Law in the Philippines, Explained (2026)
What the Anti-Dummy Law prohibits, how nominee shareholders create real criminal risk, and how foreign founders structure ownership legitimately instead.
Read ->Setting Up a Company in the Philippines: A Guide for British Founders (2026)
How UK founders incorporate and run a company in the Philippines: ownership, capital, the UK tax treaty angle, sectors and visas.
Read ->Setting Up a Company in the Philippines: A Guide for Indian Founders (2026)
How Indian founders set up and run a Philippine company in 2026 — ownership, capital, the India–Philippines DTAA, sectors, and visas.
Read ->Foreign Ownership of a Retail Business in the Philippines (2026)
How foreign founders can own a retail business in the Philippines after RA 11595, including the ₱25M capital rule and e-commerce.
Read ->Setting Up a Company in the Philippines: A Guide for Singaporean Founders (2026)
How Singaporean founders set up a Philippine company in 2026 — ownership, capital, the SG–PH tax treaty, regional HQ structures, and visas.
Read ->9(g) vs SIRV: Which Visa Does a Foreign Founder Need?
Comparing the 9(g) Pre-Arranged Employment Visa and SIRV for foreign founders setting up companies in the Philippines — eligibility, cost, timeline, and fit.
Read ->How to Repatriate Profits from the Philippines (Tax Treaties)
A guide to dividend withholding tax, branch profit remittance tax, and treaty relief for foreign investors moving money out of the Philippines in 2026.
Read ->Setting Up a Company in the Philippines: A Guide for American Founders
How American founders and investors incorporate and operate a company in the Philippines — ownership rules, visas, tax treaty angle, and the fixed-fee process.
Read ->Setting Up a Company in the Philippines: A Guide for Australian Founders
How Australian founders and investors incorporate and operate a company in the Philippines — ownership rules, visas, tax treaty angle, and the fixed-fee process.
Read ->Setting Up a Company in the Philippines: A Guide for Chinese Founders
How Chinese founders and investors incorporate and operate a company in the Philippines — ownership rules, visas, tax treaty angle, and the fixed-fee process.
Read ->The 13th FINL (EO 113) Explained for Foreign Founders (2026)
What the 13th Foreign Investment Negative List — Executive Order 113, effective 2 May 2026 — changes for foreigners setting up a company in the Philippines.
Read ->Setting Up a Company in the Philippines: A Guide for Japanese Founders
How Japanese founders and investors incorporate and operate a company in the Philippines — ownership rules, visas, tax treaty angle, and the fixed-fee process.
Read ->Setting Up a Company in the Philippines: A Guide for Korean Founders
How Korean founders and investors incorporate and operate a company in the Philippines — ownership rules, visas, tax treaty angle, Korean community context, and the fixed-fee process.
Read ->
Founder visas
9(g), SIRV, AEP, PWP, and visa-route decisions for founders and foreign hires.
AEP vs 9(g) Visa vs Provisional Work Permit in the Philippines (2026)
A plain-English comparison of the AEP, 9(g) pre-arranged employment visa, and Provisional Work Permit for foreign nationals working in the Philippines.
Read ->How to Get a 9(g) Work Visa in the Philippines: Step-by-Step (2026)
Step-by-step guide to the Philippine 9(g) work visa for foreign hires: AEP, PWP, BI petition, timelines, and validity.
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Tax & compliance
BIR, SEC annual filings, VAT, withholding tax, CREATE MORE, and repatriation planning.
Branch Profit Remittance Tax in the Philippines, Explained (2026)
How the 15% Branch Profit Remittance Tax works in the Philippines, when tax treaties cut it, the PEZA exemption, and how branches differ from subsidiaries.
Read ->Business Permit Renewal in the Philippines: Annual Guide (2026)
How foreign founders renew a Philippine business permit each year: deadlines, requirements, the LGU steps, and how to avoid late surcharges.
Read ->How to Close a Company in the Philippines (2026)
A practical guide for foreign founders on dissolving a Philippine company: SEC, BIR, LGU, and SSS steps, plus realistic timelines.
Read ->Data Privacy Act & NPC Registration in the Philippines (2026)
How foreign-owned companies in the Philippines comply with the Data Privacy Act: appoint a DPO, register with the NPC, and meet core obligations.
Read ->Percentage Tax vs VAT in the Philippines: Which Applies? (2026)
VAT or Percentage Tax in the Philippines? The ₱3M threshold decides. Chamberlain explains the trade-off for foreign-owned companies.
Read ->Resident Agent in the Philippines: Who Needs One & Why (2026)
What a resident agent is, who must appoint one in the Philippines, eligibility rules, and how the role differs from a corporate secretary.
Read ->Philippine Tax Treaties: What Foreign Companies Need to Know (2026)
How Philippine tax treaties cut withholding tax, ease branch profit tax, and prevent double taxation — plus the TRC and treaty-relief process.
Read ->Transfer Pricing in the Philippines: A Guide for Foreign-Owned Companies (2026)
How the BIR's arm's-length rules apply to your dealings with an overseas parent, plus BIR Form 1709 and TPD obligations.
Read ->Withholding Tax in the Philippines: A Guide for Businesses (2026)
How the three Philippine withholding tax types work, and why your foreign-owned company is both a withholding agent and a taxpayer.
Read ->13th-Month Pay in the Philippines: 2026 Employer Guide
Who must pay 13th-month pay in the Philippines, how to compute it, the PHP 90,000 tax-exempt ceiling, and the December 24 deadline — updated for 2026.
Read ->Corporate Income Tax in the Philippines, Explained (2026)
Philippines corporate income tax rates in 2026 — standard 25%, MCIT, the 20% CREATE MORE rate for RBEs, and what foreign-owned companies need to file.
Read ->CREATE MORE Act 2026: What the New Tax Incentives Mean for Foreign Investors
Republic Act 12066 (CREATE MORE) reformed Philippine investment incentives. Here's what the 5% SCIT rate, enhanced deductions, and IPA registration mean for foreign founders.
Read ->Payroll & Statutory Contributions in the Philippines (2026)
How payroll works for Philippine employers in 2026 — SSS, PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG contribution rates, withholding tax computation, and employer obligations.
Read ->Setting Up Payroll in the Philippines for a Foreign Company
Step-by-step guide to setting up payroll in the Philippines in 2026 — agency registration, contribution rates, BIR withholding, EOPT Act changes, and remittance deadlines.
Read ->How to Terminate an Employee in the Philippines, Legally
Philippine employee termination law explained for employers — just cause vs authorised cause, the two-notice rule, separation pay, and DOLE procedures.
Read ->VAT in the Philippines: What Foreign-Owned Companies Need to Know
Philippines VAT in 2026 — the 12% rate, registration thresholds, zero-rating, digital services VAT on foreign providers, and how to stay compliant.
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Payroll & HR
Hiring, payroll setup, SSS/PhilHealth/Pag-IBIG, wage rules, 13th month pay, and exits.
EOR vs BPO in the Philippines: Which Hiring Model Fits?
Compare Employer of Record and BPO models in the Philippines: who employs the team, who manages delivery, and when each model fits a foreign company.
Read ->How to Hire a Remote Team in the Philippines: EOR, Contractor, BPO, or Entity?
Choose the right model for a remote Philippine team: Employer of Record, independent contractors, BPO, or your own Philippine entity.
Read ->Independent Contractor vs Employee in the Philippines: The Classification Test (2026)
How Philippine law distinguishes an independent contractor from an employee, why day-to-day control matters, and when an EOR or local entity is the safer employment route.
Read ->Philippine Labor Law for Remote Employers: A Practical Guide (2026)
A practical operational guide to Philippine remote-employment obligations: telecommuting terms, hours, benefits, payroll, data, records, and termination.
Read ->Employer of Record (EOR) in the Philippines: Hire Without an Entity (2026)
How a Philippine EOR lets foreign companies hire legally without setting up an entity — what it covers, the trade-offs, and when to graduate to your own company.
Read ->SSS, PhilHealth & Pag-IBIG: Employer Registration Guide (2026)
Step-by-step guide for foreign founders to register as an employer with SSS, PhilHealth, and Pag-IBIG in the Philippines before the first hire.
Read ->Hiring Employees in the Philippines: A 2026 Guide for Foreign Companies
How foreign-owned companies hire in the Philippines in 2026 — employer registration, contracts, statutory benefits and payroll, explained step by step.
Read ->Minimum Wage in the Philippines by Region (2026)
Every Philippine minimum wage rate for 2026 by region, province and city — NCR, CALABARZON (Cainta, Biñan), Central Luzon, Cebu, Davao, BARMM and more — with exact wage order numbers and effective dates.
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Latest updates
- AEP vs 9(g) Visa vs Provisional Work Permit in the Philippines (2026)
A plain-English comparison of the AEP, 9(g) pre-arranged employment visa, and Provisional Work Permit for foreign nationals working in the Philippines.
- Corporate Secretary vs Resident Agent vs Director in the Philippines (2026)
Foreign founders often confuse three different Philippine corporate roles. This guide explains who appoints each one, what each does, and which entity needs it.
- EOR vs BPO in the Philippines: Which Hiring Model Fits?
Compare Employer of Record and BPO models in the Philippines: who employs the team, who manages delivery, and when each model fits a foreign company.
- EOR vs Setting Up a Philippine Entity: Which Comes First? (2026)
Compare an Employer of Record with incorporating a Philippine entity: control, compliance, cost shape, IP, and when each route fits.
- Foreign-Owned Import and Distribution Company in the Philippines (2026)
How foreign founders should separate import, wholesale distribution, and retail before setting up a Philippine company: ownership, capital, licences, and practical sequencing.
- How to Hire a Remote Team in the Philippines: EOR, Contractor, BPO, or Entity?
Choose the right model for a remote Philippine team: Employer of Record, independent contractors, BPO, or your own Philippine entity.