Business name registrations up 7% in first quarter

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April 12, 2026 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — Registered business names with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) rose by seven percent in the first quarter, driven by filings in the wholesale and retail trade sector.

Data from the DTI showed that total business names registered with the agency increased to 464,365 from January to March compared to 432,331 filings in the same period last year.

Of the total registrations this year, 384,307 are new business names, while 80,058 are renewals.

By sector, wholesale and retail trade accounted for the biggest share in registered business names with 268,605 filings in the first quarter.

Filings in the wholesale and retail trade sector in the first quarter went up by eight percent from 248,377 in the same period last year.

Accommodation and food service activities had the second biggest share in the first quarter with 61,131 filings, followed by real estate activities with 26,974 filings.

For March alone, business name filings went up by 12 percent to 96,601 from 86,428 in the same month last year.

Philippine Institute for Development Studies senior research fellow John Paolo Rivera said in a Viber yesterday that the increase in business name filings was likely due to resilient domestic demand and improving business sentiment.

He said the continued formalization of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) especially in retail, food and online services also supported the increase.

“Growth may continue in the coming months, but at a more moderate pace as headwinds build,” he said.

However, rising costs from the Middle East may affect filings in the coming months.

“Rising costs from the Middle East conflict, particularly fuel and transport could dampen new business formation, especially among cost-sensitive MSMEs, potentially slowing the pace of registrations,” Rivera said.

Last year, the number of business names registered with the DTI declined to 1.02 million from 1.06 million in 2024.