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.
Start here
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.
Incorporators, Directors, and Officers of a PH Corporation
Who can be an incorporator, director, president, treasurer, or corporate secretary of a Philippine corporation, and which roles foreigners can hold.
Read ->SEC Company Name Reservation: Rules and Process
How to reserve a company name with the Philippine SEC: the naming rules that get names rejected, how eSPARC verification works, and how to avoid starting over.
Read ->Buying an Existing Business in the Philippines
Buying an existing business in the Philippines: share purchase vs asset purchase, the due diligence checklist, transfer taxes, and when it beats starting fresh.
Read ->Joint Venture With a Filipino Partner: How It Works
How foreigners structure a joint venture with a Filipino partner: contractual JV vs JV corporation, the 60/40 rule, control protections, and taxes.
Read ->Accredited Importer in the Philippines: BOC CPRS
There is no generic import license in the Philippines. Here is how BOC's CPRS accreditation works, plus how import duty and 12% VAT get calculated.
Read ->Trademark Registration in the Philippines: IPOPHL Guide
How to search and register a trademark in the Philippines through IPOPHL: the clearance search, filing fees, and the realistic timeline to a certificate.
Read ->BIR Form 2303: Certificate of Registration Guide
What the BIR Certificate of Registration (BIR 2303) lists, the display rule and its penalty, how to get one through ORUS, and how to update it with Form 1905.
Read ->13(a) Visa Requirements, Cost, and Timeline: Probationary to Permanent
What the Bureau of Immigration requires for the 13(a) marriage visa, current fees, and how long each stage takes, from probationary to permanent status.
Read ->SRRV Requirements 2026: Deposit, Cost, and Business Rights for Retirees
SRRV requirements after the 2025 PRA reform: deposit tiers by age, total cost, converting the deposit into property, and what business activity retirees can do.
Read ->Outsourcing to the Philippines: Entity, EOR, or BPO Partner?
Compare the three real ways to build a Philippine outsourcing team: contract an existing BPO, hire through an EOR, or incorporate with PEZA or BOI incentives.
Read ->Is There an LLC in the Philippines? What Foreign Founders Register Instead
The Philippines has no LLC entity. Foreign founders searching for one usually need a One Person Corporation or a domestic stock corporation instead.
Read ->The First 90 Days After Incorporating a Company in the Philippines
A practical post-incorporation sequence for foreign founders: tax registration, permits, banking, employer setup, payroll, and the deadlines that cannot wait.
Read ->SaaS Company in the Philippines: Branch vs Subsidiary
How a foreign SaaS company compares a Philippine branch, subsidiary, or local corporation before hiring, contracting, or building a local team.
Read ->Can a Foreigner Own a Logistics or Warehousing Business in the Philippines?
A decision guide for Philippine logistics, warehousing, and freight operations: activity screening, ownership rules, entity choice, and approvals to map.
Read ->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 separate import, wholesale, and retail before setting up a Philippine company: ownership, capital, licences, and sequencing.
Read ->PEZA Registration Requirements for IT and Export Companies (2026)
A PEZA registration checklist for IT and export enterprises: qualifying activity, zone location, application, 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 and capital 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 in the Philippines in 2026: ownership, tax, hiring, visas, banking, and regulation.
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% CIT, location requirements, eligible activities, and what CREATE MORE changed.
Read ->SEC eSPARC and OneSEC: Online Company Registration
How the SEC's eSPARC portal and OneSEC dashboard handle online company registration in 2026: what is digital, what is not, and what to expect.
Read ->
Foreign ownership
FINL, Anti-Dummy risk, ownership caps, capital thresholds, and nationality-specific setup notes.
Can a Foreigner Buy Property or Land in the Philippines?
The real rules on foreign property ownership in the Philippines: land, condo units, long-term leases, landholding corporations, and the narrow inheritance exception.
Read ->Can a Foreigner Open a Restaurant in the Philippines?
Foreign ownership rules, capital, SEC registration, and local permits for opening a restaurant in the Philippines as a foreign founder.
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 Companies in the Philippines
What a foreign investor can and cannot do through a Philippine real-estate company: land nationality rules, leasing, development, and brokerage.
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 ->Company Setup in the Philippines for British Founders
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 ->Company Setup in the Philippines for Singaporean Founders
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 incorporate and operate in the Philippines: ownership rules, visas, the tax treaty angle, Korean community context, and fixed fees.
Read ->
Founder visas
9(g), SIRV, AEP, PWP, and visa-route decisions for founders and foreign hires.
ACR I-Card and the BI Annual Report: Compliance Calendar
How the ACR I-Card and the Bureau of Immigration's yearly Annual Report work, with 2026 deadlines, fees, exemptions, and penalties for foreign residents.
Read ->Philippines Digital Nomad Visa: Rules for Founders
The Philippines digital nomad visa is authorized by law but not yet issuing visas. What it requires, its core restriction, and what founders should use instead.
Read ->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.
Read ->
Tax & compliance
BIR, SEC annual filings, VAT, withholding tax, CREATE MORE, and repatriation planning.
De Minimis Benefits in the Philippines: Tax-Free Limits
Current BIR de minimis benefit ceilings under RR No. 29-2025, what happens when an item exceeds its ceiling, and how the 35% fringe benefit tax applies to managers.
Read ->The Ease of Paying Taxes Act (RA 11976): What Changed for Businesses
RA 11976, the EOPT Act, unified Official Receipts and Sales Invoices, dropped the annual registration fee, and reset VAT timing for Philippine businesses.
Read ->Capital Gains Tax in the Philippines (2026)
How the Philippines taxes capital gains on real property and unlisted shares, covering BIR rates, deadlines, and when a tax treaty can reduce what you owe.
Read ->Books of Accounts in the Philippines: Manual vs CAS
How to choose between manual, loose-leaf, and computerized books of accounts, register them through the BIR's ORUS system, and avoid penalties.
Read ->BIR Form 2307 and Expanded Withholding Tax: The Current Rate Table
What BIR Form 2307 proves, when a payor must issue it, and the current EWT rates for professional fees, rent, contractors, and top withholding agents.
Read ->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: 2026 Guide
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 Tax Incentives for Investors
Republic Act 12066 (CREATE MORE) reformed Philippine investment incentives. What the 5% SCIT rate, enhanced deductions, and IPA registration mean for 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
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.
Read ->
Payroll & HR
Hiring, payroll setup, SSS/PhilHealth/Pag-IBIG, wage rules, 13th month pay, and exits.
Holiday Pay in the Philippines: Rules and Formulas
The official 2026 Philippine holiday list, Labor Code pay formulas for regular holidays and special non-working days, overtime premiums, and exemptions.
Read ->Separation Pay in the Philippines: Formulas by Cause
How Philippine law computes separation pay for redundancy, retrenchment, closure, and disease, with the exact formulas and worked peso examples.
Read ->Employment Contracts in the Philippines: Template
The clauses a compliant Philippine employment contract needs, why probationary and fixed-term terms get struck down, and a practical clause-by-clause template.
Read ->Best Payroll Software in the Philippines (2026)
A neutral comparison of payroll and HRIS platforms used in the Philippines, the statutory calculations they must handle, and how to choose by headcount.
Read ->Hire a Filipino Virtual Assistant the Legal Way
Filipino virtual assistant pay by skill level, the legal test that can turn a contractor into an employee, and the two lawful ways to hire and pay one from abroad.
Read ->Night Shift Differential Pay in the Philippines (2026)
Night shift differential in the Philippines: the 10% rule, the 10pm to 6am window, how to compute it, who is exempt, and what it costs on a BPO-style roster.
Read ->Overtime Pay in the Philippines: Rates and Formulas
Overtime pay in the Philippines: the 25% rule, the 125% to 260% rate table for holidays and rest days, worked examples, exemptions, and the COLA question.
Read ->Employer of record vs outsourcing in the Philippines: who employs and who manages
EOR versus BPO in the Philippines: who employs the team, who manages the work, and when a foreign company can hire without a Philippine entity.
Read ->Hiring a Remote Team in the Philippines
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
How Philippine law distinguishes an independent contractor from an employee, why day-to-day control matters, and when an EOR is the safer 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 city and province, 2026
2026 minimum wage for Laguna, Cebu, Bacolod, Iloilo, Batangas, Pangasinan, and Dumaguete, plus NCR. Provincial rates follow the regional wage order.
Read ->
Latest updates
- Incorporators, Directors, and Officers of a PH Corporation
Who can be an incorporator, director, president, treasurer, or corporate secretary of a Philippine corporation, and which roles foreigners can hold.
- SEC Company Name Reservation: Rules and Process
How to reserve a company name with the Philippine SEC: the naming rules that get names rejected, how eSPARC verification works, and how to avoid starting over.
- Buying an Existing Business in the Philippines
Buying an existing business in the Philippines: share purchase vs asset purchase, the due diligence checklist, transfer taxes, and when it beats starting fresh.
- Joint Venture With a Filipino Partner: How It Works
How foreigners structure a joint venture with a Filipino partner: contractual JV vs JV corporation, the 60/40 rule, control protections, and taxes.
- Holiday Pay in the Philippines: Rules and Formulas
The official 2026 Philippine holiday list, Labor Code pay formulas for regular holidays and special non-working days, overtime premiums, and exemptions.
- Separation Pay in the Philippines: Formulas by Cause
How Philippine law computes separation pay for redundancy, retrenchment, closure, and disease, with the exact formulas and worked peso examples.