January 2020 - ABO LAW FIRM

TYPES OF COMPANY SETUP OF BUSINESS PROCESS OUTSOURCING (BPO) IN THE PHILIPPINES

The Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry is a booming business sector in the Philippines. With the Filipino workforce’s competence and high education coupled with the reasonable cost of doing business in the country, the Philippines has become one of the premier destination for outsourcing. For foreign investors looking into entering the BPO sector, there are different options on what type of structure to register for their business. TYPES OF CORPORATION TO REGISTER FOR A BPO BUSINESS BPO TYPE: BRANCH OFFICE OF A FOREIGN CORPORATION – carries out the business activities of the…

CALAMITY FUND IN THE PHILIPPINES

In May 07, 2010, then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed in to law Republic Act (RA) 10121 or the “Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010”. In a nut shell, this law’s aim is to have a framework for the mitigation of risks, programs for quick responses during the time of disasters and recovery thereafter. An important aspect of the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Plan is its implementation which is only possible if there ample is ample funding. Hence, RA 10121 have provisions for a Local Disaster Risk Reduction and…

LABOR LAW UPDATES: SERVICE CHARGE LAW

On August 07, 2019 President Rodrigo Duterte has approved Republic Act 11360 entitled “AN ACT PROVIDING THAT SERVICE CHARGES COLLECTED BY HOTELS, RESTAURANTS AND OTHER SIMILAR ESTABLISHMENTS BE DISTRIBUTED IN FULL TO ALL COVERED EMPLOYEES AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 442 AS AMENDED, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE “LABOR CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES” or as just the Service Charge Law. Previously, service charges collected by restaurants, hotels, and other similar establishments shall be distributed at the rate of eighty-five percent (85%) for all covered employees and fifteen percent (15%) for management.…

FOREIGN INVESTMENT NEGATIVE LIST

On 29 October 2018 President Rodrigo Duterte issued the 11th Foreign Investment Negative List. The said Foreign Investment Negative List took effect on 16 November 2018. As with the previous List, the current one outlines, clarifies the scope and limitations of foreign ownership in businesses in specific industries. The intent of the 11th Foreign Investment Negative List is to ease restrictions on foreign participation in certain investment areas or activities. This can be seen in the easing of restrictions of foreign ownership in many sectors or industries, which now can be owned…