VZCZCXRO6533
OO RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHML #0149/01 0250759
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 250759Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY MANILA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6360
RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 21 MANILA 000149 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EB/IFD/OIA AND EAP/MTS 
STATE PASS USTR 
STATE PASS EXIM 
USDOC FOR 4430/ITA/MAC/MHOGUE 
TREASURY FOR OASIA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECONEINVETRDEFINELABETRDKTDBPGOVOPIC USTRRP
SUBJECT: 2010 Investment Climate Statement - Philippines 
 
REFTEL:  09 STATE 124006 
 
¶1.  (U)  In response to reftel instructions, this message is Post's 
submission of the 2010 Investment Climate Statement for the 
Philippines.  As requested, we have also provided via email a 
Microsoft Word version of the document to EB/IFD/OIA. 
 
¶2.  (U)  Begin text of Statement: 
 
Philippines:  2010 Investment Climate Statement 
Introduction 
------------ 
 
The Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) actively 
seeks foreign investment to promote economic development.  The 
Philippine Board of Investments (BOI) assists investors with 
regulatory requirements, incentives, and market guidance to 
supported increased foreign investment.  The Philippine investment 
landscape has some noteworthy strengths, such as its free trade 
zones, including the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA). 
Certain industries have experienced impressive growth in recent 
years, especially those that are able to leverage the Philippines' 
well-educated and English-speaking labor pool. 
 
However, legal restrictions, regulatory inconsistency, and a lack of 
transparency hinder foreign investment.  In many sectors of the 
economy, GRP regulatory authority remains ambiguous and corruption 
is a significant factor.  In addition, a complex and slow judicial 
system inhibits the timely and fair resolution of commercial 
disputes. 
 
Openness to Foreign Investment 
-------- -- ------- ---------- 
 
The GRP is receptive to suggestions and criticisms from the private 
sector, and many foreign and domestic businesses make their views 
known through industry associations that support economic reform. 
The American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, along with 
other chambers of commerce based in the Philippines, identify 
investment opportunities and barriers, and offer possible solutions 
to problems.  The Chamber produces publicly-available advocacy 
papers on economic and political issues, sometimes jointly with 
other chambers.  (See http://amchamphilippines.com.) 
 
Philippine gross capital formation ranks among the lowest in 
Southeast Asia, averaging at only 15 percent of gross domestic 
product.  Overall, net foreign direct investment (FDI) flows have 
averaged less than $1.6 billion annually over the past ten years. 
Net FDI flows improved yearly from less than $500 million in 2003 to 
$2.9 billion in 2007, but contracted by more than 50 percent 
year-on-year in 2008 to $1.4 billion.  As of September 2009, 
year-to-date net inflows were estimated at $1.3 billion, up 6.8 
percent from 2008's comparable nine-month period.  In 2009, the 
Philippines scored lower on global competitiveness and 
anti-corruption rankings.  The American and other foreign chambers 
in the country continue to urge the Philippine government to remove 
legal barriers to trade and investment and further open up the 
Philippine economy. 
 
Trade infrastructure urgently needs attention, including Bureau of 
Customs operations, the nation's inter-island shipping, and port 
facilities.  Infrastructure projects often suffer from corrupt 
practices.  Investors cite high electricity costs and power 
shortages as areas of concern. The GRP follows a policy of 
liberalizing the power sector through the sale of government 
generation and transmission assets and through support for 
alternative energy sources to reduce dependence on imported fuels. 
 
Third party assessments of the Phiippine investment climate 
statement are includedbelow: 
 
World Bank's Doing Business 2010  144 ou of 183 
World Bank's Doing Business 2009  141 ou of 183 
TI Corruption Index   2009  139 out of 180 
Heritage Economic Freedom 2009  104 out of 122 
 
The Philippines ranked 144 out of 183 economies urveyed in the 
World Bank's Doing Business 2010 eport, an annual survey of 
different economies o the ease of doing business.  Of the 10 
factors measured in the survey, the Philippines scored 162 i 
starting a business, 132 in protecting investor, 118 in enforcing 
contracts, 115 in employing wrkers, and 68 in trading across 
borders (the onl factor that the Philippines scored below 100). 
According to the Heritage Foundation's economic freeom index, the 
 
MANILA 00000149  002 OF 021 
 
 
Philippines was the 104th freest economy in 2009, scoring a 56.8 in 
economic freedom.  It scored above the world average in four of the 
ten "economic freedoms," namely, trade freedom (76.8), fiscal 
freedom (75.4), financial freedom, (50.0), and government size 
(90.8).  In Transparency International's corruption perception 
index, the Philippines scored 2.4, ranking 139 out of 180 countries 
ranked.  A country scoring 10 in the index is perceived to have low 
levels of corruption. 
 
General Provisions 
 
Under the law, foreign investors are generally treated like their 
domestic counterparts with important exceptions, as outlined below 
and in the Foreign Investment Act (R.A. 7042, 1991, amended by R.A. 
8179, 1996).   Corporations or partnerships must register with the 
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and sole proprietorships 
must be registered with the Bureau of Trade Regulation and Consumer 
Protection in the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). Investors 
generally say the Philippine bureaucracy is slow to process these 
requirements, but nondiscriminatory.  Foreign investment incentive 
programs are described in the section on "Performance Requirements 
and Incentives." 
 
Restrictions on Foreign Investment 
 
The Foreign Investment Negative List is actually two lists that 
outline sectors that are restricted or limited in terms of foreign 
investment (1991 Foreign Investment Act).  These limits are 
routinely cited as contributing to the poor Philippine record in 
attracting foreign investment, especially compared to its neighbors. 
  List A enumerates investment sectors and activities for which 
foreign equity participation is restricted by mandate of the 
Constitution and specific laws.   List B enumerates areas where 
foreign ownership is restricted or limited (generally at 40 percent) 
for reasons of national security, defense, public health, safety, 
and morals.  The restrictions stem from a constitutional provision 
permitting Congress to reserve to Philippine citizens certain areas 
of investment (Section 10 of Article XII) and limit foreign 
participation in public utilities or their operation (Section 11, 
Article XII) .  No mechanism exists for a waiver under the negative 
lists.  The Foreign Investment Act requires the Philippine 
government to publish an updated negative list every two years to 
reflect changes in law.  The 2007 negative list is in force, pending 
release of the eighth negative list. 
 
Only Philippine citizens can practice licensed professions such as 
engineering, medicine and allied professions, accountancy, 
architecture, interior design, chemistry, environmental planning, 
social work, teaching, and law.  As a general policy, the Department 
of Labor and Employment (DOLE) allows the employment of foreigners 
provided there are no qualified Philippine citizens who can fill the 
position.  BOI-registered companies may employ foreign nationals in 
supervisory, technical, or advisory positions for five years from 
registration, extendable for limited periods at the discretion of 
the BOI.  Top positions and elective officers of majority 
foreign-owned enterprises (i.e., president, general manager, and 
treasurer or their equivalents) are exempt from these restrictions. 
 
Other investment areas reserved for Filipinos include: mass media 
(except recording); small-scale mining; private security; 
utilization of marine resources, including small-scale utilization 
of natural resources in rivers, lakes, and lagoons; and the 
manufacture of firecrackers and pyrotechnic devices. 
 
The retail trade industry is highly restricted to foreign 
investment.  Retail trade enterprises with paid-up capital of less 
than $2.5 million are reserved for Filipinos, or less than $250,000 
for retailers of luxury goods.  Foreign ownership of retail trade 
enterprises with paid-up capital between $2.5 to 7 million is now 
allowed, with initial capitalization requirements.  Enterprises 
engaged in financing and investment activities that are regulated by 
the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including securities 
underwriting, are limited to 60 percent foreign ownership. 
 
Other specific limits on foreign investment include: 
 
--Private radio communications networks (20 percent) 
 
--Employee recruitment and locally-funded public works construction 
and repair (25 percent) 
 
--Advertising agencies (30 percent) 
 
--Natural resource exploration, development, and utilization (40 
 
MANILA 00000149  003 OF 021 
 
 
percent, with exceptions) 
 
--Education institutions (40 percent) 
 
--Public utilities' operation and management (40 percent) 
 
--Operation of commercial deep-sea fishing vessels (40 percent) 
 
--Philippine government procurement contracts (40 percent) 
 
--Adjustment companies (insurance sector) (40 percent) 
 
--Operations of build-operate-transfer projects in public utilities 
(40 percent) 
 
--Ownership of private lands (40 percent) 
 
--Rice and corn processing (40 percent, with exceptions) 
 
In 2004, the Philippine Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality 
of the Philippine Mining Act of 1995 allowing a foreign entity full 
ownership of a company involved in large-scale exploration, 
development, and utilization of mineral resources, as arranged 
through Financial and Technical Assistance Agreements with the 
Philippine government. 
 
Negative Investment List B enumerates areas where foreign ownership 
is restricted or limited for reasons of national security, defense, 
public health, safety, and morals.  Sectors covered include 
explosives, firearms, military hardware, massage clinics, and 
gambling, and are generally limited to 40 percent foreign equity. 
This list also restricts foreign ownership in small- and 
medium-sized enterprises to no more than 40 percent in non-export 
firms. 
 
In addition to the restrictions noted in the "A" and "B" lists, 
firms with more than 40 percent foreign equity that qualify for BOI 
incentives must divest to the 40 percent level within 30 years from 
registration date or within a longer period determined by the BOI. 
Foreign-controlled companies that export 100 percent of production 
are exempt from this requirement. 
 
Financial Services 
 
Although a relaxation of previous policy, the number of new foreign 
banks that could open full-service branches in the Philippines was 
capped at a total of ten in 1994 (Act Liberalizing the Entry and 
Scope of Operations of Foreign Banks in the Philippines, R.A. 7721). 
 All ten licenses were issued within the five-year window provided 
for this mode of entry, which closed in 1999.  These foreign banks 
are limited to six branch offices each.  This is in addition to the 
four foreign banks operating in the Philippines prior to 1948, which 
were also allowed to open up to six branches each.   Foreign banks 
that qualify under the law -- publicly-listed and with national or 
global rankings -- may own up to 60 percent in a locally 
incorporated subsidiary.  Foreign investors that do not meet these 
requirements are limited to a 40 percent stake. 
 
Since 1999, a Central Bank-imposed moratorium on the issuance of new 
bank licenses has limited investments to existing banks, although 
micro-finance institutions are exempt.  Philippine law also requires 
that majority Filipino-owned banks must, at all times, control at 
least 70 percent of total banking system resources in the country. 
 
The insurance industry was opened to 100 percent foreign ownership 
in 1994, with a sliding scale of minimum capital requirements 
depending on the degree of foreign ownership.  As a general rule, 
only the state-owned Government Service Insurance System may provide 
coverage for government-funded projects.  Build-operate-transfer 
projects and privatized government corporations must secure 
insurance and bonding from the Government Service Insurance System, 
at least proportional to GRP interests (Administrative Order 141). 
 
The Philippines is generally open to foreign portfolio capital 
investment.  A more detailed discussion is provided in the section 
"Efficient Capital Markets and Portfolio Investment."  Membership in 
the Philippine Stock Exchange is open to foreign-controlled stock 
brokerages incorporated under Philippine law.  Offshore companies 
not incorporated in the Philippines may underwrite Philippine issues 
for foreign markets, but not for the domestic market.  The Lending 
Company Regulation Act requires majority Philippine ownership for 
such enterprises, and was signed into law in May 2007 to establish a 
regulatory framework for credit enterprises that do not clearly fall 
under the scope of existing laws.  Current law also restricts 
 
MANILA 00000149  004 OF 021 
 
 
membership on boards of directors for mutual fund companies to 
Philippine citizens (Investment Company Act, R.A. 2629). 
 
Land Ownership 
 
The 1987 Constitution prohibits foreign nationals from owning land 
in the Philippines. The Investors' Lease Act (R.A. 7652, 1994) 
allows foreign investors to lease a contiguous land parcel of up to 
1000 hectares for 50 years, renewable once for 25 years. 
 
In mid-2003, the Dual-Citizenship Act (Republic Act 9225) allowed 
natural-born Filipinos who became naturalized citizens of a foreign 
country to re-acquire Philippine citizenship.  Philippine dual 
citizens now have full rights of possession of land and property. 
Ownership deeds continue to be difficult to establish, are poorly 
reported and regulated, and the court system is slow to resolve 
cases. 
 
Public Infrastructure 
 
The Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) Law provides the legal framework 
for large infrastructure projects and other types of government 
contracts (R.A. 6957 of July 1990, as amended in May 1994 by R.A. 
7718).  Franchises in railways/urban rail mass transit systems, 
electricity distribution, water distribution, and telephone systems 
may only be awarded to enterprises with at least 60 percent 
Philippine ownership.  American firms have won contracts under the 
law and similar arrangements, mostly in the power generation sector. 
 However, more active foreign participation under BOT and similar 
arrangements is discouraged by legal administration problems, 
including weaknesses in planning, preparing, tendering, and 
executing private sector infrastructure projects and lingering 
ambiguities about the level of guarantees and other support provided 
by the government. 
 
Conversion and Transfer Policies 
---------- ---- -------- ------- 
 
There are no restrictions on the full and immediate transfer of 
funds associated with foreign investments, foreign debt servicing, 
the payment of royalties, lease payments, and similar fees.  Foreign 
exchange purchased from the banking system, from foreign exchange 
corporations that are subsidiaries/affiliates of banks, and from 
foreign exchange dealers, money changers and remittance agents 
requires specific documentation spelled out in Central Bank 
regulations.  To obtain foreign exchange for debt servicing, 
repatriation of capital, or remittance of profits, the foreign loans 
and foreign investment must be registered with the Central Bank.  To 
be registered with the Central Bank, foreign investments should be 
funded by inward remittances of foreign exchange. 
 
There is no mandatory foreign exchange surrender requirement imposed 
on export earners and other foreign exchange earners such as 
overseas workers.  The Central Bank follows a market-determined 
exchange rate policy, with scope for occasional intervention 
targeted mainly at smoothing excessive foreign exchange volatility. 
 
Expropriation and Compensation 
------------- --- ------------ 
 
Philippine law allows for expropriation of private property for 
public use or in the interest of national welfare or defense.  In 
such cases, the GRP offers compensation for the affected property. 
Most expropriation cases involve acquisition for major public sector 
infrastructure projects.  In the event of expropriation, foreign 
investors have the right under Philippine law to remit sums received 
as compensation in the currency in which the investment was 
originally made and at the exchange rate at the time of remittance. 
However, agreeing on a mutually acceptable price can be a protracted 
process.  There are no recent cases of expropriation of U.S. 
companies in the Philippines. 
 
Philippine law mandates divestment to 40 percent foreign equity in 
some sectors.  The Omnibus Investment Code specifies a 30-year 
divestment period for non-pioneer foreign-owned companies that 
accept investment incentives.  Exempt from divestment requirements 
are pioneer enterprises and companies that export 100 percent of 
production.  Certain non-luxury retail establishments must offer at 
least 30 percent of their equity to the public within eight years 
from the start of operations. 
 
Dispute Settlement 
------- ---------- 
 
 
MANILA 00000149  005 OF 021 
 
 
Investment disputes can take years for parties to reach final 
settlement.  A number of GRP actions in recent years have raised 
questions over the sanctity of contracts in the Philippines and have 
clouded the investment climate.  Recent high-profile cases include 
the GRP-initiated review and renegotiation of contracts with 
independent power producers, court decisions voiding allegedly 
tainted and disadvantageous BOT agreements, and challenges to the 
extent of foreign participation in large-scale natural resource 
exploration activities, such as mining. 
 
Legal System 
 
Many foreign investors describe the inefficiency and uncertainty of 
the judicial system as a significant disincentive for investment. 
The judiciary is constitutionally independent of the executive and 
legislative branches and faces many problems, including 
understaffing and corruption.  Critics also charge that judges 
rarely have a background in, or thorough understanding of, market 
economics or business, and that their decisions stray from the 
interpretation of law into policymaking.  The GRP is pursuing 
judicial reform with support from foreign donors, including the U.S. 
Government, the Asian Development Bank, and the World Bank. 
 
The Philippines is a member of the International Center for the 
Settlement of Investment Disputes and of the Convention on the 
Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitrage Awards.  However, 
Philippine courts have, in several cases involving U.S. and other 
foreign firms, shown a reluctance to abide by the arbitral process 
or its resulting decisions.  Enforcing an arbitral award in the 
Philippines can take years. 
 
Bankruptcy Law 
 
Regional trial courts that are specifically designated by the 
Supreme Court as commercial courts have jurisdiction (Securities 
Regulation Code of 2000).  Bankruptcy cases are governed procedural 
rules in effect since January 2009.  The new rules allow courts to 
approve rehabilitation plans endorsed by creditors holding at least 
two-thirds of the total liabilities of the debtor.  They also 
recognize foreign proceedings, as well as specific deadlines for 
compliance with procedural requirements, including court 
approval/disapproval of a rehabilitation plan. Some judges 
reportedly have not enforced the deadlines in a number of cases, 
resulting in protracted proceedings that can take several years to 
resolve.  Investors have also expressed concern over a provision 
that allows the courts to approve a rehabilitation plan despite 
opposition from majority creditors. 
 
The legal framework is ambiguous in the area of bankruptcy, 
especially regarding secured creditors' rights if a debtor is 
liquidated.  While the Civil Code stipulates that a secured creditor 
has the right to full payment up to the value of the collateral 
securing the loan, several subsequent judicial rulings and statutory 
provisions have allowed other parties (including employees and tax 
authorities) access to the liquidated assets when funds are 
insufficient to pay the claimants. 
 
Performance Requirements and Incentives 
----------- ------------ --- ---------- 
 
Every year, the Investment Priorities Plan presents a list of 
investment areas entitled to incentives.  The 2009 Plan was 
formulated to mitigate the effects of the global economic slowdown, 
the following priority investment areas:   agriculture/agribusiness 
and fisheries (including biotechnological products and services); 
infrastructure; engineered products; tourism; business process 
outsourcing; research and development; and, creative industries. 
Also covered are "strategic activities," projects with a minimum 
investment of US $300 million that create at least 1,000 jobs or use 
advanced technology. 
 
Screening for the legitimacy and regulatory compliance of companies 
seeking investment incentives appears to be nondiscriminatory, but 
the application process can be complicated since incentives granted 
by the BOI often depend on action by other agencies, such as the 
Department of Finance and the Bureau of Customs.  The basic 
incentives offered to BOI-registered companies include: 
 
--Income tax holiday:  new projects with "pioneer" status receive a 
six-year income tax holiday, with the possibility of an extension to 
eight years.  New projects with non-pioneer status receive a 
four-year holiday with a possible extension to six years.  New or 
expansion projects in less-developed areas, regardless of status, 
receive a six-year income tax holiday.  Expansion and modernization 
 
MANILA 00000149  006 OF 021 
 
 
projects receive three years, limited to incremental sales 
revenue/volume.  Enterprises located in less-developed areas may 
secure a bonus year if: the ratio of total imported and domestic 
capital equipment to number of workers for the project does not 
exceed $10,000 per worker; the net foreign exchange savings or 
earnings amount to at least $500,000 annually for the first three 
years of operation; or indigenous raw materials used are at least 50 
percent of the total cost of raw materials for the years prior to 
the extension unless the BOI prescribes a higher percentage; 
 
--For the first five years after registration, an additional 
deduction from taxable income equivalent to 50 percent of the wages 
of additional direct-hire workers, provided the enterprise meets a 
prescribed capital equipment-to-labor ratio set by the BOI.  Firms 
that benefit from this incentive cannot simultaneously claim an 
income tax holiday; 
 
--Additional deduction from taxable income for necessary and major 
infrastructure works for companies located in areas with deficient 
infrastructure, public utilities, and other facilities.  A company 
may deduct from its taxable income an amount equivalent to expenses 
incurred in the development of necessary and major infrastructure 
works.  This deduction is not applicable for mining and 
forestry-related projects; 
 
--Tax and duty exemption on imported breeding stocks and genetic 
materials and/or tax credits on local purchases thereof, for 
purchases made within ten years from a company's registration with 
the BOI or from the start of its commercial operation; 
 
--Exemption from wharf dues and any export tax, duty, impost, or 
fees on non-traditional export products made within ten years of a 
company's registration with the BOI; 
 
--Tax and duty exemption on importation of required supplies/spare 
parts for consigned equipment by a registered enterprise with a 
bonded manufacturing warehouse; 
 
--Importation of consigned equipment for ten years from date of 
registration with the BOI, subject to posting a re-export bond; 
 
--Enterprises may employ foreign nationals in supervisory, 
technical, or advisory positions for a period not exceeding five 
years from registration (extendible for limited periods at the 
discretion of the BOI) under simplified visa requirements.  The 
positions of president, general manager, and treasurer of 
foreign-owned registered enterprises are not subject to this 
limitation.  GRP regulations require the training of Filipino 
understudies for the positions held by foreigners; 
 
--Simplification of customs procedures for the importation of 
equipment, spare parts, raw materials and supplies and exports of 
processed products; 
 
--Access to a bonded manufacturing / trading warehouse subject to 
customs regulations. 
To encourage the regional dispersal of industries, BOI-registered 
enterprises that locate in less- developed areas, and the thirty 
poorest provinces determined under the Investment Priorities Plan, 
are automatically entitled to pioneer incentives.  Such enterprises 
can deduct from taxable income an amount equivalent to 100 percent 
of infrastructure outlays.  They may also deduct 100 percent of 
incremental labor expenses for the first five years from 
registration, which is double the rate allowed for BOI-registered 
projects not located in less-developed areas. 
Proposed Changes to Investment Incentives 
 
There are currently more than 140 laws that address general and 
sector-targeting incentives.  The scope and detail of reform remains 
contentious, although past and present administrations have 
acknowledged the need to rationalize the incentives regime and a 
number of bills have been filed in the Philippine Congress. 
Proposals to phase out income tax holidays have been especially 
controversial and are opposed by business. 
 
Incentives for Exporters 
 
An enterprise with more than 40 percent foreign equity that exports 
at least 70 percent of its production may still be entitled to 
incentives even if the activity is not listed in the Investment 
Priorities Plan.  In addition to the general incentives available to 
BOI-registered companies, a number of incentives apply specifically 
to registered export-oriented firms.  These include: 
 
 
MANILA 00000149  007 OF 021 
 
 
--Tax credit for taxes and duties paid on imported raw materials 
used in the processing of export products; 
 
--Exemption from taxes and duties on imported spare parts (applies 
to firms exporting at least 70 percent); and, 
 
--Access to customs bonded manufacturing warehouses. 
 
The BOI is flexible with the enforcement of individual export 
targets, provided that exports as a percentage of total production 
do not fall below the minimum requirement (50 percent for local 
firms and 70 percent for foreign firms).  BOI-registered foreign 
controlled firms that qualify for export incentives are subject to a 
30-year divestment period, at the end of which at least 60 percent 
of equity must be Filipino-controlled.   Foreign firms that export 
100 percent of production are exempt from this divestment 
requirement. 
 
Firms that earn at least 50 percent of their revenues from exports 
may register for additional incentives under the Export Development 
Act (R.A. 7844, 1994).  Registered exporters may also be eligible 
for BOI incentives, provided the exporters are registered according 
to BOI rules and regulations and the exporter does not take 
advantage of the same or similar incentives twice.  Export 
incentives include a tax credit ranging from 2.5 percent to 10 
percent of annual incremental export revenue. 
 
Performance and Local Sourcing Requirements 
----------- --- ----- -------- ------------ 
 
Performance requirements are usually based on an approved project 
proposal, established by the BOI for investors who are granted 
incentives.  In general, the BOI and the investor agree on yearly 
production schedules and export performance targets. 
 
The BOI requires registered projects to maintain at least 25 percent 
of total project cost in the form of equity.  The BOI generally sets 
a 20 percent local value-added requirement when screening 
applications, and is flexible in enforcing this requirement as long 
as actual performance does not deviate significantly from the 
industry standard. 
 
Specifically in the automotive sector, there are no local content 
requirements for cars, commercial vehicles, and motorcycles. 
However, to apply for registration with the BOI and to qualify for 
incentives, new domestic and foreign assemblers must have a 
technical licensing agreement with the overseas 
completely-knocked-down supplier to provide technical assistance. 
Assemblers must also invest at least $10 million in assembly 
operations and associated parts manufacture within one year for 
automotive production, $8 million for commercial vehicles, and $2 
million for motorcycles. 
 
Certain industries are subject to specific local sourcing 
requirements.  Foreign retailers must source locally for the first 
ten years after the law's effective date.  During that period, a 
portion of inventory should consist of products assembled or 
manufactured in the Philippines, specifically, 30 percent of 
inventory in firms dealing primary in non-luxury items, and 10 
percent of inventory in primarily luxury-item firms. 
 
Incentives for Regional Headquarters, Regional Operating 
Headquarters, and Warehouses 
 
Philippine law provides incentives for multinational enterprises to 
establish regional or area headquarters and regional operating 
headquarters in the Philippines (Book III of the Omnibus Investment 
Code of 1987, amended by R.A. 8756, 1999).  Regional headquarters 
are branches of multinational companies headquartered outside the 
Philippines that do not earn or derive income in the Philippines, 
but that act as supervisory, communications, or coordinating 
centers.  The capital requirement for a regional headquarters is 
$50,000 annually to cover operating expenses.  Incentives for 
regional headquarters include: 
 
--exemption from income tax; 
 
--exemption from branch profits remittance tax; 
 
--exemption from value-added tax; 
 
--sale or lease of goods and property and rendition of services to 
the regional headquarters subject to zero percent value-added tax; 
 
 
MANILA 00000149  008 OF 021 
 
 
--exemption from all taxes, fees, or charges imposed by a local 
government unit (except real property taxes on land improvement and 
equipment); 
 
--value-added tax and duty-free importation of training and 
conference materials and equipment solely used for the headquarters 
functions. 
 
Regional operating headquarters derive income from their affiliates 
in the region and in the Philippines by providing services such as 
general administration and planning, sourcing of raw materials and 
components, marketing, sales, research and development, and business 
development.  Regional operating headquarters enjoy many of the same 
incentives as regional headquarters but, being income generating, 
are subject to the standard 12 percent value-added tax, applicable 
branch profits remittance tax, and a preferential 10 percent 
corporate income tax.  Privileges extended to foreign executives 
working at these operations include tax and duty-free importation of 
personal and household effects, and immigration benefits for 
executives.  Eligible multinationals establishing regional operating 
headquarters must spend at least $200,000 yearly to cover 
operations. 
 
Multinationals establishing regional warehouses for the supply of 
spare parts, manufactured components, or raw materials for their 
foreign markets also enjoy incentives on imports that are 
re-exported.  Re-exported imports are exempt from customs duties, 
internal revenue taxes, and local taxes.  Imported merchandise 
intended for the Philippine market is subject to applicable duties 
and taxes. 
 
Government Procurement 
 
The Philippines is not a signatory to the WTO Agreement on 
Government Procurement.  Implementing regulations for government 
procurement require the public sector to procure goods, supplies, 
and consulting services from enterprises that are at least 60 
percent Filipino-owned and infrastructure services from enterprises 
with at least 75 percent Filipino interest, in line with the 2003 
Government Procurement Reform Act (GPRA).  The GPRA consolidated 
procurement laws to simplify and standardize guidelines, procedures 
and forms across Philippine government entities.  More specifically, 
GPRA outlines prequalification procedures, objective criteria in the 
selection process, and, guidelines for a single portal electronic 
procurement system.  U.S. and other foreign companies continue to 
raise concerns about irregularities in government procurement and 
uneven, inconsistent implementation. 
 
In the bid evaluation process for public sector purchases of goods 
and supplies, GPRA regulations give preference to local products 
and/or Filipino-controlled enterprises.  When the lowest bid is from 
a supplier of imported goods and/or from a foreign-owned enterprise, 
the lowest domestic bidder or domestic entity can claim preference 
and match the offer, provided his bid was no more than 15 percent 
higher than that of the foreign bidder or foreign entity. 
 
Filipino consultants enjoy preferential treatment, as the law 
requires the GRP to employ local expertise and consultancy services 
for its infrastructure projects, as much as possible (Executive 
Order 278).  When Filipino capability is insufficient, Filipino 
consultants may hire or work with foreigners but should be the lead 
consultants.  Where foreign funding is indispensable, foreign 
consultants must enter into joint ventures with Filipinos. 
Multilateral donor agencies report that their implementing partners 
have thus far been able to comply with both donors' internal 
procurement guidelines and Executive Order 278. 
 
An exception to this general rule of government procurement is 
foreign-funded aid projects.  Foreign bidders may participate, 
provided the foreign assistance agreement expressly provides use of 
the foreign government or international financing institution's 
procurement procedures and guidelines.  An earlier law, the Official 
Development Assistance Act, also authorizes the President to waive 
statutory preferences for local suppliers for foreign-funded 
projects/programs. 
 
The Government Procurement Reform Act does not cover projects under 
the BOT Law, which allows investors in BOT projects and similar 
private-public sector arrangements to engage the services of 
Philippine and/or foreign firms for the construction of 
infrastructure projects. 
 
Procurement by government agencies and government-owned or 
controlled corporations is subject to a countertrade requirement 
 
MANILA 00000149  009 OF 021 
 
 
entailing the payment of at least $1 million in foreign currency 
(Executive Order 120).  Implementing regulations set the level of 
countertrade obligations at a minimum of 50 percent of the import 
price and set penalties for nonperformance of countertrade 
obligations. 
 
Right to Private Ownership and Establishment 
----- -- ------- --------- --- ------------- 
 
Philippine law recognizes the private right to acquire and dispose 
of property or business interests, although acquisitions, mergers, 
and other combinations of business interests involving foreign 
equity must comply with foreign nationality caps specified in the 
Constitution and other laws.  The 1987 Constitution gives the GRP 
the authority to regulate or prohibit monopolies, and it also bans 
unfair competition, although there is no implementing law. 
 
A few sectors are closed to private enterprise, generally on grounds 
of security, health, or "public morals."  For example, the GRP 
controls and operates the country's casinos through the Philippine 
Amusement and Gaming Corporation and runs lottery operations through 
the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office. 
 
Only the state-owned Government Service Insurance System may insure 
government-funded projects.  BOT projects, as well as partially 
privatized government corporations, must meet insurance and bonding 
requirements from the government insurance system, in proportion to 
GRP interests.  In addition, government funds are kept in 
government-owned banks. 
 
Protection of Property Rights 
---------- -- -------- ------ 
 
Although the Philippines has procedures and systems for registering 
claims on property, including intellectual property and 
chattel/mortgages, delays and uncertainty associated with a 
cumbersome court system continue to concern investors.  Questions 
regarding the general sanctity of contracts, and the property rights 
they support, have also clouded the investment climate.  Of 
particular concern in the Philippines in the challenge of 
intellectual property rights protection, for which the Philippines 
is listed on United States Trade Representative (USTR) Special 301 
Watch List. 
 
Intellectual Property Rights 
 
In 2006, the United States moved the Philippines from the Priority 
Watch List on intellectual property protection to the Watch List, 
under Section 301 of U.S. trade law.  This improvement in its rating 
recognized steps the GRP has taken to strengthen its intellectual 
property regime.  The Philippine government pledged continued focus 
on intellectual property rights initiatives following the 
announcement. 
 
The Intellectual Property Code provides the legal framework for 
intellectual property rights protection in the Philippines, 
especially in the key areas of patents, trademarks, and copyright 
(R.A. 8293, 1997).  The Electronic Commerce Act extends the legal 
framework established by the Intellectual Property Code to the 
internet (R.A. 8792, 2000).  Investor concerns include deficiencies 
in the Intellectual Property Code and other IP laws remain investor, 
with unclear provisions relating to the rights of copyright owners 
over broadcast, rebroadcast, cable retransmission, or satellite 
retransmission of their works, and burdensome restrictions affecting 
contracts to license software and other technology. 
 
The Philippines has a first-to-file patent system, with a term of 20 
years from the date of filing.  It also recognizes the patentability 
of microorganisms and non-biological and microbiological processes. 
The holder of a patent is guaranteed an additional right of 
exclusive importation of his invention.  A compulsory license may be 
granted in some circumstances, including if the patented invention 
is not being used in the Philippines without satisfactory reason, 
although importation of the patented article constitutes using the 
patent.  In 2008, the Philippine Congress passed the Cheaper 
Medicines Act, which places limitations on patent protection for 
pharmaceuticals, and significantly liberalizes the grounds for the 
compulsory licensing of pharmaceuticals (Republic Act 9502). 
 
Prior use of a trademark in the Philippines is not required to file 
a trademark application.  Well-known marks need not be in actual use 
in Philippine commerce or registered with the Bureau of Patents, 
Trademarks.  A Certificate of Registration remains in force for ten 
years and may be renewed for ten-year periods.  Notwithstanding 
 
MANILA 00000149  010 OF 021 
 
 
these legal provisions, counterfeit trademarked goods such as brand 
name and designer clothing, handbags, cigarettes, and other consumer 
goods remain widely available through mainstream outlets and street 
markets. 
 
In the area of copyright, computer software is protected as a 
literary work.  Exclusive rental rights may be offered in several 
categories of works and sound recordings.  Terms of protection for 
sound recordings, audiovisual works, and newspapers and periodicals 
are compatible with the Agreement on the Trade-Related Aspects of 
Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS).  Although the Philippines is a 
member of the World Intellectual Property Organization, and has 
acceded to the WIPO Copyright Treaty and the WIPO Performances and 
Phonograms Treaty, the Philippine government has not enacted 
necessary amendments to its Intellectual Property Code that would 
fully implement these treaties.  Optical media piracy, including 
piracy of digital video discs and compact discs, also continues to 
be a problem.  There are widespread unauthorized transmissions of 
motion pictures and other programming on cable television systems 
and the clandestine recording of movies in cinemas, piracy of books, 
cable television, and computer software also remain significant. 
 
In addition to these provisions, the IP Code recognizes industrial 
designs, performers' rights, and trade secrets.  The registration of 
a qualifying industrial design is for a period of five years and may 
be renewed for two consecutive five-year periods.  While Philippine 
law recognizes performers' rights for 50 years after death, the 
exercise of exclusive rights for copyright owners over broadcast and 
retransmission is ambiguous.  While there are no codified rules on 
the protection of trade secrets, GRP officials assert that existing 
civil and criminal statutes protect trade secrets and confidential 
information. 
 
Other important laws defining intellectual property rights are the 
Plant Variety Protection Act (R.A. 9168, 2002), which provides plant 
breeders intellectual property rights consistent with the 1991 Union 
for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants Convention, and the 
Integrated Circuit Act (R.A. 9150, 2001), which provides 
WTO-consistent protection for the layout designs of integrated 
circuits. 
 
In addition to its commitments under TRIPS, the Philippines is a 
party to the following international intellectual property 
agreements: the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial 
Property, the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and 
Artistic Works, the Budapest Treaty on the International Recognition 
of the Deposit of Microorganisms for the Purposes of Patent 
Procedure, the Patent Cooperation Treaty; and the Rome Convention 
for the Protection of Performers, Producers of Phonograms and 
Broadcasting Organizations. 
 
Enforcement Challenges for Intellectual Property Rights 
 
Significant concerns remain regarding the consistency and 
effectiveness of intellectual property rights protection.  U.S. 
distributors continue to report high levels of pirated optical discs 
of cinematographic, musical works, computer games, and business 
software, as well as widespread unauthorized transmissions of motion 
pictures and other programming on cable television systems. 
Trademark infringement in a variety of product lines is also 
widespread, with counterfeit merchandise openly available. 
 
The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has jurisdiction to resolve 
certain disputes concerning alleged infringement and licensing. 
Intellectual property owners have used the IPO's administrative 
complaint system as an alternative to the judicial court system. 
However, it can be slow-moving due to limited resources.  Other 
agencies with IP enforcement responsibilities include: the 
Department of Justice; National Bureau of Investigation (NBI); 
Philippine National Police (PNP); Optical Media Board (OMB); the 
Bureau of Customs; and the National Telecommunications Commission 
(NTC). 
 
The OMB spearheads enforcement of the Optical Media Act since its 
establishment in 2005, with jurisdiction over the manufacture, 
mastering, replication, importation, and exportation of optical 
media, regardless of content (Republic Act No. 9239 of 2004). 
Generally, the Philippine government enforcement agencies are most 
responsive to those copyright owners who actively work with them to 
target infringement.  Agencies will not proactively target 
infringement unless the copyright owner brings it to their attention 
and works with them on surveillance and enforcement actions.  Joint 
efforts between the private sector and the NBI, the PNP and the OMB 
have resulted in some successful enforcement actions. 
 
MANILA 00000149  011 OF 021 
 
 
 
Enforcement actions are not often followed by successful 
prosecutions.  Intellectual property infringement is not considered 
a major crime within the Philippine judicial system and takes a 
lower precedence in court proceedings.  The Philippine government 
has tried several different judicial approaches to handling 
intellectual property cases, but none have worked well due to lack 
of resources and heavy non-IP workloads.  Because of the prospect of 
lengthy court action, many cases are settled out of court.  Since 
2001, there have been sixty-four convictions for IP violations, with 
no convictions in 2009.  Convicted intellectual property violators 
rarely spend time in jail, since the six year penalty enables them 
to apply for probation immediately under Philippine law. 
 
Registering Intellectual Property 
 
U.S. manufacturers and suppliers should register their copyrights, 
trademarks, and patents with: 
 
The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) 
351 Sen. Gil J. Puyat Avenue 
Makati City 
fax: (63-2) 897-1724 / 752.5450 to 65 local 201 / 207 
email: dittb@ipophil.gov.ph; mail@ipophil.gov.ph 
website: http://www.ipophil.gov.ph 
 
Manufacturers and importers are also encouraged to register 
copyrights, trademarks, and patents with the Bureau of Customs to 
facilitate enforcement of rights. 
 
Transparency of the Regulatory System 
------------ -- --- ---------- ------ 
 
Philippine national agencies are required by law to develop 
regulations via a public consultation process, often involving 
public hearings.  In most cases, this ensures some minimal level of 
transparency in the rulemaking process.  New regulations must be 
published in national newspapers of general circulation or in the 
GRP's official gazette before taking effect. 
 
On the enforcement side, however, regulatory action is often weak, 
inconsistent, and unpredictable.  Regulatory agencies in the 
Philippines are generally not statutorily independent, but are 
attached to cabinet departments or the Office of the President and 
therefore subject to political pressure.  Many U.S. investors 
describe business registration, customs, immigration, and visa 
procedures burdensome and a source of frustration.  To counter this, 
some agencies, such as the SEC, BOI, and the Department of Foreign 
Affairs (DFA), have established express lanes or "one-stop shops" to 
reduce bureaucratic delays, with varying degrees of success.  More 
discussion about express lanes as related to investment zones is in 
the section, "Foreign Trade Zones/Free Trade Zones." 
 
Efficient Capital Markets and Portfolio Investment 
--------- ------- ------- --- --------- ---------- 
 
The Philippine government welcomes foreign portfolio capital 
investment.  Non-residents may purchase domestically-issued 
securities and invest in money market instruments, as well as in 
peso-denominated time deposits with a minimum maturity of 90 days. 
Although growing, the securities market remains small and 
underdeveloped, with a limited range of choices.  Except for a few 
large firms, long-term bonds and commercial paper are not yet major 
sources of capital. 
 
Investments in publicly listed firms are governed by foreign 
ownership ceilings stipulated in the Constitution and other laws. 
Fewer than 250 firms are listed in the Philippine Stock Exchange 
(PSE).  In 2009, the ten most actively-traded companies accounted 
for more than 60 percent of trading value and about 40 percent of 
domestic market capitalization.  To encourage publicly listed 
companies to widen their investor base, the PSE introduced reforms 
in April 2006 to include trading activity and free float criteria in 
the selection of companies comprising the stock exchange index.  The 
30 companies included in the benchmark index are subject to review 
every six months.  Hostile takeovers are not common, because most 
company shares are not publicly listed and controlling interest 
tends to remain with a small group of parties.  Cross-ownership and 
interlocking directorates among listed companies also lessen the 
likelihood of hostile takeovers. 
 
The July 2000 passage of the Securities Regulation Code strengthened 
investor protection by requiring full disclosure in the regulation 
of public offerings, tightening rules on insider trading, 
 
MANILA 00000149  012 OF 021 
 
 
segregating broker-dealer functions, outlining rules on mandatory 
tender offer requirements, significantly increasing sanctions for 
violations of securities laws and regulations, and mandating steps 
to improve the internal management of the stock exchange and future 
securities exchanges.   To improve transparency and minimize 
conflict of interest, the Code also prohibits any one industry group 
(including brokers) from controlling more than 20 percent of the 
stock exchange's voting rights. 
 
The enforcement of these strengthened laws is mixed.  While there 
has been some progress from the creation of special commercial 
courts, the prosecution of stock market irregularities can be 
subject to delays and uncertainties of the Philippine legal system. 
Compliance with the law is fraught with problems as well.  For 
example, within the ten years the Code has been in effect, the PSE 
has yet to fully comply with the 20 percent industry limit, although 
it has taken steps to reduce brokers' ownership from 100 percent to 
40 percent of the stock exchange. 
 
Credit Policies 
 
Credit is generally granted on market terms and foreign firms are 
able to obtain credit from the domestic market.  However, some laws 
require financial institutions to set aside loans for certain 
preferred sectors, which may translate into increased costs and/or 
credit risks. 
 
Banks must set aside 25 percent of loanable funds for agricultural 
credit, with at least 10 percent earmarked for programs such as 
improving the productivity of farmers to whom land has been 
distributed under agrarian reform programs (Agri-Agra Law P.D. 717, 
as amended).  To facilitate compliance, alternative modes of meeting 
the Agri-Agra lending requirement include low-cost housing, 
educational and medical developmental loans, and investments in 
eligible government securities.  Recent investor experience in these 
alternatives raise questions about implied guarantee by the 
Philippine government and investors are cautioned to be wary. 
 
Banks are required to set aside ten percent of their loans for 
small-business borrowers (R.A. 9501). While most domestic banks are 
able to comply with these requirements, foreign banks find mandatory 
policies more burdensome for a number of reasons, including their 
lack of knowledge and experience with these sectors, their 
constrained branch networks, and constitutional restrictions on 
ownership of land by foreigners which impede their ability to 
enforce security rights over land accepted as collateral. 
 
Direct lending by non-financial government agencies is limited per 
Executive Order 558 to the Department of Social Welfare and 
Development, focusing on the poorest areas not being served by 
micro-finance institutions. 
 
Banking System 
 
As of the end of September 2009, the five largest commercial banks 
in the Philippines represented nearly 53 percent of total commercial 
banking system resources, with an estimated total assets of PhP 
2,741 billion (equivalent to about US$57 billion).  The Bangko 
Sentral ng Pilipinas (Central Bank) has worked to strengthen banks' 
capital base, reporting requirements, corporate governance, and risk 
management systems.  Central Bank-mandated phased increases in 
minimum capitalization requirements and regulatory incentives for 
mergers have prompted several banks to seek partners.  All Central 
Bank-supervised entities are required to adopt Philippine Financial 
Reporting Standards and Philippine Accounting Standards, patterned 
after International Financial Reporting and Accounting Standards 
issued by the International Accounting Standards Board. 
 
Commercial banks' published average capital adequacy ratio was 15.9 
percent on a consolidated basis as of end-June 2009, computed 
according to the Basel 2 risk-based capital adequacy framework. 
This ratio remains above the Central Bank's 10 percent statutory 
limit and the eight percent internationally accepted benchmark. 
Philippine banks have limited direct exposure to investment products 
issued by troubled financial institutions overseas, estimated at 
less than two percent of total banking system resources.  Fiscal and 
regulatory incentives to encourage the sale of non-performing assets 
to private asset management companies have promoted a healthy 
banking sector in the Philippines.  By the end of September 2009, 
non-performing loans and non-performing asset ratios of commercial 
banks were estimated at 3.2 percent and 4.1 percent.  These ratios 
had previously peaked in October 2001 at 18.3 percent and 14.6 
percent, respectively. 
 
 
MANILA 00000149  013 OF 021 
 
 
The General Banking Law of 2000 paved the way for the Philippine 
banking system to phase in these internationally accepted, 
risk-based capital adequacy standards.  In 2007 a revised capital 
adequacy framework (Basel 2) was adopted, expanding coverage from 
credit and market risks to include operational risks and enhanced 
the risk-weighting framework.  Other important provisions of the 
General Banking Law strengthened transparency, bank supervision, and 
bank management.  Some impediments remain to more effective bank 
supervision, including stringent bank deposit secrecy laws, 
obstacles preventing regulators from examining banks at will, and 
inadequate liability protection for Central Bank officials and bank 
examiners. 
 
The Paris-based Financial Action Task Force continues to monitor 
implementation of the Philippine Anti-Money Laundering Act through 
the Anti-Money Laundering Council.  Foreign exchange dealers and 
remittance agents are required to register with the Central Bank and 
must comply with various Central Bank regulations and requirements 
related to the implementation of the Philippines' anti-money 
laundering law.  The Philippines is a member of the Egmont Group, 
the international network of financial intelligence units, and the 
Financial Action Task Force. 
 
Asia Pacific Group conducted a comprehensive peer review of the 
Philippines in September 2008.  Some of the more important Asia 
Pacific Group concerns cited include the exclusion of casinos from 
the scope of current anti-money laundering legislation and court 
rulings that inhibit and complicate investigations of fraud and 
corruption.  Legislation to address these deficiencies is pending, 
but unlikely to pass before the May 2010 national election. 
 
In a report released on April 2, 2009, the Organization for Economic 
Cooperation and Development (OECD) included the Philippines on a 
four-country blacklist that had not committed to Internationally 
Agreed Tax Standards (IATS).  The IATS promotes international 
cooperation in tax matters by requiring the exchange of information, 
on request, for the administration and enforcement of a requesting 
country's domestic tax laws and to avoid harmful tax practices. 
Following subsequent representations by the Philippine government, 
the Philippines moved to a gray list of jurisdictions that have 
committed to the IATS but have not yet substantially implemented. 
Legislatio that would allow and provide the framework for th 
exchange of tax-related information was ratifie by both houses of 
the Philippine Congress and is being prepared for presidential 
signature as of his writing. 
 
Accounting Standards 
 
The Philipines has employed the accounting standards of the 
International Accounting Standards Board since 205.  The Philippine 
SEC and the Central Bank agreed to the full adoption of these 
standards, which re now embodied in the Philippine Financial 
Repoting Standards and Philippine Accounting Standards  However, 
some companies/industries have been ganted temporary exceptions. 
For example, a Central Bank circular to implement the Special 
Purpose ehicle Act deviates from generally accepted accouning 
principles by allowing banks to book losses rising from the sale of 
non-performing assets ona staggered basis.  To encourage 
consolidation, the Central Bank has also allowed merging 
institutions to stagger provisions for bad debts. 
 
To stem the effects of the worldwide financial crisis, the 
Philippines adopted amendments issued by the International 
Accounting Standards Board in October 2008 covering the accounting 
treatment and disclosure of financial assets.  These amendments 
provide guidelines for the reclassification of certain 
non-derivative financial assets from categories recorded at fair 
market value to categories recorded at amortized cost.  This move 
was intended to promote confidence in financial markets by tempering 
the potentially sharp deterioration in balance sheets and incomes 
caused by the current global financial turbulence. 
 
The SEC requires a firm's Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive 
Officer, and Chief Financial Officer to assume management 
responsibility and accountability for financial statements.  Current 
rules also require the rotation and accreditation of external 
auditors of companies imbued with public interest (i.e., publicly 
listed firms, investment houses, stock brokerages, and other 
secondary licensees of the SEC). 
 
The SEC instituted a system of guidelines for external auditors that 
require listed companies to disclose to the SEC any material 
findings within five days of receipt of the external audit findings. 
 Material findings include fraud or error, losses or potential 
 
MANILA 00000149  014 OF 021 
 
 
losses aggregating 10 percent or more of company assets, and 
indications of company insolvency.  The external auditor is required 
to make the disclosure to the SEC within 30 business days of 
submitting its audit report to the client-company, should the latter 
fail to comply with this reporting requirement.  The regulations 
require client-auditor contracts to contain a specific provision 
protecting the external auditor from civil, criminal, or 
disciplinary proceedings for disclosing material findings to the 
SEC. 
 
The SEC guidelines on audits provide for credentialing of auditors. 
The SEC requires accredited external auditors to accumulate 
professional education credits and to maintain quality assurance 
procedures.   In 2007, the Auditing and Assurance Standards Council 
issued new standards on quality control, auditing, review, assurance 
and related services that outline additional measures and policies 
for compliance by external auditors to improve the independence, 
objectivity, and thoroughness of audit work. 
 
A number of local accountancy firms are affiliated with 
international accounting firms, including KPMG, 
PricewaterhouseCoopers, Ernst & Young, Deloitte & Touche, BDO 
Seidman, and Grant Thornton. 
 
Competition from State Owned Enterprises 
----------- ---- ----- ----- ----------- 
 
Private and government-owned firms generally compete equally, with 
some clear exceptions.  The governmental National Food Authority 
has, at times, been the sole legal importer of rice, though in 2008 
the GRP ceded about half of all rice importation to the private 
sector. 
 
In the insurance sector, only the state-owned Government Service 
Insurance System (GSIS) may provide coverage for government-funded 
projects, although the industry was opened up to 100 percent foreign 
ownership in 1994.  All build-operate-transfer projects and 
privatized government corporations must fulfill all insurance and 
bonding requirements from the GSIS, at least proportional to the 
government's interests. 
 
Besides confronting direct competition from state owned enterprises 
in some limited areas, some sectors experience government 
intervention to directly cap or control pricing in private markets. 
Most notably in 2009, the Philippine government imposed temporary 
price controls on gasoline (Executive Order 939) and a basket of 
basic goods and services (Price Act 1991, R.A. 7581) in the wake of 
typhoons.  Under Philippine law, the President may freeze prices on 
basic goods and services for a period of 90 days under a state of 
emergency.  President Macapagal-Arroyo has also exercised her 
discretionary authority (Executive Order 821, July 2009) to force 
price reductions for specific name-brand pharmaceutical medicines. 
 
Privatization 
 
The Privatization Management Office, under the Department of 
Finance, is the agency tasked to manage the privatization program. 
Apart from restrictions under the Foreign Investment Negative List, 
there are no regulations that discriminate against foreign buyers. 
The bidding process appears to be transparent, though the Supreme 
Court has twice overturned high profile privatization transactions 
to foreign buyers. 
 
The Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation is 
mandated to sell 70 percent of the government-owned National Power 
Corporation's (NPC) generating assets and transfer 70 percent of 
NPC-Independent Power Producer contracts to private companies. Nine 
years after the signing of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act, 
the Philippine government has opened access and retail competition: 
unbundled rates; removed cross-subsidies; established the Wholesale 
Electricity Spot Market and privatized 70 percent of NPC's 
generation assets.  The remaining fifth requirement, the transfer of 
the NPC-IPP contracts of IPP administrators, is slated for 
completion in 2010. 
 
Corporate Social Responsibility 
--------- ------ -------------- 
 
Although no law requires foreign or domestic private companies to 
institute corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs, they 
constitute a basic and fundamental feature of most significant 
business operations in the Philippines.  U.S. companies report 
strong and favorable response to CSR programs among employees and 
within local communities.  Many CSR programs focus on poverty 
 
MANILA 00000149  015 OF 021 
 
 
alleviation efforts, promotion of the environment, health 
initiatives, and education. 
In some cases, the GRP has compelled its own entities to engage in 
CSR.  For example, the Philippine Bases Conversion and Development 
Authority is mandated to declare portions of its property in Fort 
Bonifacio and surrounding areas as low-cost housing sites (Executive 
Order 70). 
Political Violence 
--------- --------- 
 
Terrorist groups and criminal gangs operate in some regions of the 
country.  The Department of State publishes a consular information 
sheet at (http://travel.state.gov) and advises all Americans living 
in or visiting the Philippines to review this information 
periodically.  The Department of State has issued a travel warning 
to U.S. citizens contemplating travel to the Philippines at 
(travel.state.gov).  The Department strongly encourages visiting and 
resident Americans in the Philippines to register with the Consular 
Section of the U.S. Embassy in Manila through the State Department's 
travel registration website, (travelregistration.state.gov). 
 
Arbitrary, unlawful, and extrajudicial killings by various actors 
continue to be a problem in the Philippines.  Following increased 
domestic and international scrutiny, the number of killings and 
disappearances had dropped significantly in 2008 from a peak in 
2006, but recent incidents have again garnered significant 
international attention.  The Philippines will hold national and 
local elections -- including a presidential election -- in May 2010. 
 Violence has marred the campaign season, with the high-profile 
killings of a group of 57 civilians, including journalists, in an 
election-related incident in central Mindanao in November 2009. 
 
In December 2009, the government and the Mindanao-based insurgent 
group Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) formally resumed peace 
talks.  The peace process had stalled in August 2008 after the 
Supreme Court placed a temporary restraining order on the signing of 
a preliminary peace accord and, some MILF members in response 
attacked villages in central Mindanao and killed dozens of 
civilians.  The ensuing fighting between government and insurgent 
forces caused both combat and civilian deaths and the displacement 
of hundreds of thousands of people.  In July 2009, both sides 
instituted ceasefires, ending nearly one year of intense fighting 
and enabling the parties to discuss a return to the negotiating 
table. 
 
The New People's Army (NPA), the military arm of the Communist Party 
of the Philippines, is responsible for general civil disturbance 
through assassinations of public officials, bombings, and other 
tactics.  It frequently demands "revolutionary taxes" from local 
and, at times, foreign businesses and business people.  To enforce 
its demands, the NPA sometimes attacks infrastructure such as power 
facilities, telecommunications towers, and bridges.  The National 
Democratic Front, an umbrella organization which includes the 
Communist Party and its allies, has engaged in intermittent but 
generally non-productive peace talks with the Philippine government. 
 It has not targeted foreigners in recent years, but could threaten 
U.S. citizens engaged in business or property management activities. 
 
 
Terrorist groups, including the Rajah Sulaiman Movement, Abu Sayaaf 
Group and Jema'ah Islamiyah, periodically attack civilian targets in 
Mindanao, kidnap civilians for ransom, and engage in armed 
skirmishes with the security forces. 
 
The Philippines faces no major external threat and enjoys strong 
relations with the United States. The United States and the 
Philippines are allies under the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty, and the 
U.S. designated the Philippines as a major non-North Atlantic Treaty 
Organization ally in 2003. The Visiting Forces Agreement, ratified 
in 1999, provides a framework for U.S.-Philippine military 
cooperation, including exercises, ship visits, and counter-terrorism 
cooperation. 
 
Corruption 
---------- 
 
Corruption is a pervasive and longstanding problem in the 
Philippines.  The Philippines is not a signatory of the Organization 
for Economic Cooperation and Development Convention on Combating 
Bribery.  The Philippines signed the UN Convention against 
Corruption in 2003, which the Senate ratified in November 2006. 
 
There are a number of laws and mechanisms directed at combating 
corruption and related anti-competitive business practices, although 
 
MANILA 00000149  016 OF 021 
 
 
the enforcement of anti-corruption law has been weak and 
inconsistent.  These new laws and mechanisms include the Philippine 
Revised Penal Code, Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and Code 
of Ethical Conduct for Public Officials.  The Office of the 
Ombudsman investigates and prosecutes cases of alleged graft and 
corruption involving public officials, with the Sandiganbayan 
(anti-graft court) prosecuting and adjudicating cases filed by the 
Ombudsman. 
 
A Presidential Anti-Graft Commission assists the President in 
coordinating, monitoring, and enhancing the government's 
anti-corruption efforts.  The Commission also investigates and hears 
administrative cases involving presidential appointees in the 
executive branch and government-owned and controlled corporations. 
Soliciting/accepting and offering/giving a bribe are criminal 
offenses, punishable with imprisonment (6-15 years), a fine, and/or 
disqualification from public office or business dealings with the 
government. 
 
The Philippine government has worked in recent years to reinvigorate 
its anti-corruption drive. However, corruption indicators developed 
by non-governmental organizations suggest that these efforts have 
been inconsistent.  Reforms have not improved public perception and 
are overshadowed by high-profile cases frequently reported in the 
Philippine media. 
 
Bilateral Investment Agreements 
--------- ---------- ---------- 
 
As of December 2009, the Philippines had signed bilateral investment 
agreements with Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, 
Belgium and Luxembourg, Canada, Cambodia, Chile, China, the Czech 
Republic, Denmark, Equatorial Guinea, Finland, France, Germany, 
India, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Kuwait, 
Laos, Mongolia, Myanmar, Netherlands, Pakistan, Portugal, Romania, 
Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, 
Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, Venezuela, and Vietnam. 
The general provisions of the bilateral investment agreements 
include: the promotion and reciprocal protection of investments; 
nondiscrimination; the free transfer of capital, payments and 
earnings; freedom from expropriation and nationalization; and, 
recognition of the principle of subrogation. 
 
Taxation 
 
The Philippines has a tax treaty with the United States for the 
purpose of avoiding double taxation, providing procedures for 
resolving interpretative disputes, and enforcing taxes of both 
countries.  The treaty also encourages bilateral trade and 
investments by allowing the exchange of capital, goods and services 
under clearly defined tax rules and, in some cases, preferential tax 
rates or tax exemptions. 
 
Most Favored Nation Clause for Royalties 
 
Pursuant to the most favored nation clause of the Philippine - U.S. 
tax treaty, U.S. recipients of royalty income may avail of the 
preferential rate provided in the Philippine-China tax treaty, which 
went into effect in January 2002.  Accordingly, a lower tax rate of 
10 percent applies with respect to royalties arising from: the use 
of (or right to use) any patent, trademark, design, model, plan, 
secret formula, or process; or, the use (or right to use) 
industrial, commercial, and scientific equipment, or information 
concerning industrial, commercial, or scientific experience. 
 
Permanent Establishments 
 
A foreign company without a branch office that renders services to 
Philippine clients is considered a permanent establishment, and is 
liable to pay Philippine taxes if the services rendered to a 
Philippine client require its personnel to stay in the country for 
more than 183 days for the same or a connected project in a 
twelve-month period.  However, Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) 
rulings on the taxation of permanent establishments have been 
inconsistent.  In some rulings, the Philippine government has 
applied the corporate income tax rate on net taxable income, a 
treatment that applies to resident foreign corporations.  In others, 
it has applied the corporate income tax rate on gross income, a 
treatment that applies to non-resident foreign corporations. 
 
Tax Treaty Relief Rulings 
 
Philippine courts reportedly have denied a number of claims for 
refund of tax payments in excess of rates prescribed under 
 
MANILA 00000149  017 OF 021 
 
 
applicable tax treaties for failure to secure tax treaty relief 
rulings.   An entity must obtain a tax treaty relief ruling from the 
BIR in order to qualify for preferential tax treaty rates and 
treatment,  However, according to several tax lawyers, the volume of 
tax treaty relief applications has resulted in processing delays, 
with most applications reportedly pending for over a year. 
 
Tax on Liquidating Gains 
 
Recently, the Bureau of Internal Revenue appears to be altering its 
position on taxing gains through liquidation.  Until recently, the 
BIR consistently applied Philippine-U.S. Tax Treaty provisions 
exempting foreign companies from capital gains and corporate income 
tax on profit from the redemption and sale of shares by Philippine 
affiliates/subsidiaries being liquidated.  However, in 2009, a BIR 
ruling involving foreign company held that such gains were subject 
to corporate income tax but not to capital gains tax.  In another 
case, the BIR ruled that the gains were subject to tax on dividends. 
The companies and other interested parties have filed position 
papers with the Department of Finance to contest these rulings. 
 
Inter-Company Transfer Pricing 
 
Although the BIR has yet to finalize long-pending draft regulations 
on transfer pricing, it has declared that, as a matter of policy, it 
subscribes to the OECD's transfer pricing guidelines.  In 
anticipation of the release of the final BIR regulations, 
multinational companies are weighing in on this issue with transfer 
pricing studies and/or benchmarking for their related-party 
transactions.  Currently, the Tax Code authorizes the BIR to 
allocate income or deductions among related organizations or 
businesses, whether or not organized in the Philippines, if such 
allocation is necessary to prevent tax evasion. 
 
Optional Standard Deduction 
 
Domestic and foreign resident companies subject to regular income 
tax may claim an optional standard deduction of up to 40 percent of 
gross income, in lieu of itemized deductions per  Republic Act (June 
2008).  Implementing regulations allow companies to use either the 
optional standard deduction or itemized deductions in filing their 
quarterly income tax returns.  However, in the final consolidated 
return for the taxable year, companies must make a final choice 
between standard or itemized deductions for the purpose of 
determining final taxable income for the year. 
 
Stock Transfer Tax 
 
The stock transfer tax is an ad valorem, transactional tax on the 
sale of publicly-listed stock shares.  The BIR does not consider the 
stock transfer tax as income tax; bilateral treaties that exempt 
foreign nationals from income or capital gains taxes therefore do 
not exempt them from the stock transfer tax. 
 
 
International Financial Reporting Standards 
 
BIR rules and regulations for tax accounting have not been fully 
harmonized with the Philippine Financial Reporting Standards, which 
are patterned after standards issued by the International Accounting 
Standards Board.  The disparities between reports for financial 
accounting and tax accounting purposes can be an irritant between 
taxpayers and tax collectors.  The BIR requires taxpayers to 
maintain records reconciling figures presented in financial 
statements and income tax returns. 
 
OPIC and Other Investment Insurance Programs 
---- --- ----- ---------- --------- -------- 
 
The Philippine government currently does not provide guarantees 
against losses due to inconvertibility of currency or damage caused 
by war.  The Overseas Private Investment Corporation can provide 
U.S. investors with political risk insurance for expropriation, 
inconvertibility and transfer, and political violence, based on its 
agreement with the Philippines.  The Philippines is a member of the 
Multilateral Investment Guaranty Agency. 
 
Labor 
----- 
 
Managers of U.S.-based companies widely report a large, motivated 
work force in the Philippines that is easy to recruit and train. 
Low wages, as well as tax benefits and investment incentives offered 
in Special Economic Zones are other positive factors for investors. 
 
MANILA 00000149  018 OF 021 
 
 
U.S. employers regularly report that Filipino workers respond well 
to productivity goals and wage incentives for increasing their 
output. 
 
Literacy in both English and Filipino is relatively high, although 
there have been concerns in the business and education communities 
that English proficiency was on the decline, as noted in Department 
of Education data.   The Department of Education, under its National 
English Proficiency Program, continues its efforts to strengthen 
English language training, including school-based mentoring programs 
for public elementary and secondary school teachers aimed at 
improving their English language skills. 
 
Philippine labor is plentiful.  In mid-2009, the Philippine labor 
force was estimated at 38.4 million, with an increase in the 
official unemployment rate at 7.6 percent in 2009, up from 7.4 in 
2008 and 6.3 in 2007 percent in the previous year.  This figure 
includes employment in the informal sector and does not capture the 
substantial underemployment in the country. 
Special Economic Zones (ecozones) continue to play a significant 
role in attracting new investors to the country, often with on-site 
labor centers to assist investors with recruitment.  These centers 
coordinate with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and 
Social Security Agency, and can offers services such as mediating 
labor disputes.  The ecozones have helped produce rapid growth in 
new jobs, as both Philippine and foreign firms seek the tax and 
other advantages of these areas devoted to fostering export 
industries.  As of November 2009, over 600,000 Filipinos were 
estimated to be directly employed in zones regulated by the 
Philippine Economic Zone Authority. 
 
Multinational managers report that total compensation packages tend 
to be comparable with those in neighboring countries.  In the call 
center industry, the average labor cost is between $1.60 and $1.90 
per hour.  Regional Wage and Productivity Boards meet periodically 
in each of the country's 16 administrative regions to determine 
minimum wages, with the National Capital Board setting the national 
trend.  As of January 2010, the non-agricultural daily minimum wage 
in the National Capital Region was PhP382 (approximately $8), 
although some private sector workers received less.  Cost of living 
allowances are given across the board.  Most other regions set their 
minimum wage significantly lower than Manila.  The lowest minimum 
wage rates were in the Southern Tagalog Region, where daily 
agricultural wages were PhP187 ($4.20).  Regional Boards may grant 
various exceptions to the minimum wage, depending on the type of 
industry and number of employees at a given firm. 
 
Violation of minimum wage standards is common, especially 
non-payment of social security contributions, bonuses, and overtime. 
 In 2009, President Arroyo signed a law offering relief for 
companies that had not been paying social security taxes for their 
employees, as an incentive to resume their social security 
remittances (R.A. 9903).  Philippine law also provides for a 
comprehensive set of occupational safety and health standards, 
although workers do not have a legally-protected right to remove 
themselves from dangerous work situations without risking loss of 
employment.  DOLE has responsibility for safety inspection, but a 
severe shortage of inspectors makes enforcement extremely 
difficult. 
 
There have been some reports of forced labor in connection with 
human trafficking for commercial sex activities. 
 
The Constitution enshrines the right of workers to form and join 
trade unions.  The mainstream trade union movement recognizes that 
its members' welfare is tied to the productivity of the economy and 
competitiveness of firms; frequent plant closures have made many 
unions even more willing to accept productivity-based employment 
packages.  The trend among firms of using temporary contract labor 
continues to grow. 
 
The number of strikes in the Philippines has been on the decline. 
The year 2009 saw a record low of four strikes, down from five in 
2008 and 25 in 2004.  The DOLE Secretary has the authority to end 
strikes and mandate a settlement between the parties in cases 
involving the national interest, which can include cases where 
companies face strong economic or competitive pressures in their 
industries.  As of July 2009, there were 141 registered labor 
federations and 15,712 private sector unions.  The 1.96 million 
union members represented approximately 5.2 percent of the total 
workforce of 37.8 million.  Mainstream union federations typically 
enjoy a good working relationship with employers.  Although labor 
laws apply equally to ecozones, unions have noted some difficulty 
organizing inside them. 
 
MANILA 00000149  019 OF 021 
 
 
 
The Philippines is a signatory to all International Labor 
Organization (ILO) conventions on worker rights, but has faced 
challenges enforcing them.  Unions allege that companies or local 
officials use illegal tactics to prevent them from organizing 
workers.  The quasi-judicial National Labor Relations Commission 
reviews allegations of intimidation and discrimination in connection 
with union activities.  In September 2009, the GRP welcomed an ILO 
mission to the Philippines to examine labor rights.  The ILO will 
issue its report and recommendations in March 2010. 
 
Foreign Trade Zones/Free Trade Zones 
------- ----- ----- ----- ----- ---- 
 
Enterprises enjoy preferential tax treatment when located in 
ecozones.  The Special Economic Zone Act (R.A. 7916, 1995) outlines 
the categories of such ecozones, including export processing zones, 
free trade zones, and certain industrial estates. 
 
Enterprises located in ecozones also designated export processing 
zones are considered to be outside the customs territory and are 
allowed to import capital equipment and raw material free from 
customs duties, taxes, and other import restrictions.  Goods 
imported into free trade zones may be stored, repacked, mixed, or 
otherwise manipulated without being subject to import duties.  Goods 
imported into both export processing zones and free trade zones are 
exempt from the GRP's Selective Preshipment Advance Classification 
Scheme.  While some ecozones have been designated as both export 
processing zones and free trade zones, individual businesses within 
them are only permitted to receive incentives under a single 
category. 
 
The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) 
 
The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) manages five 
government-owned export-processing zones (in Mactan, Bataan, Baguio, 
Cavite, and Pampanga) and administers incentives available to firms 
located in about 205 privately-owned and operated zones, technology 
parks and buildings.  Any person, partnership, corporation, or 
business organization, regardless of nationality, control and/or 
ownership, may register as an export processing zone enterprise with 
PEZA.  PEZA administrators have earned a reputation for maintaining 
clear and predictable investment environment within the zones of 
their authority.  PEZA announced in early 2010 an investment goal 
target of PhP201.67 billion (over US4.1 billion) for the year. 
 
Incentives for firms in export processing and free trade zones 
include: 
 
--income tax holiday or exemption from corporate income tax and all 
local government imposts, fees, licenses or taxes, for four years, 
extendable to a maximum of eight years (this does not include 
exemption from real estate tax); 
 
--machinery installed and operated in the economic zone of 
manufacturing, processing, or for industrial purposes shall be 
exempt from real estate taxes for the first three years of operation 
of such machinery; 
 
--after the expiration of the income tax exemption, a special five 
percent tax rate on gross income in lieu of all national and local 
income taxes (with the exception of land owned by developers, which 
is subject to real property tax); 
 
--tax and duty-free importation of capital equipment, raw materials, 
spare parts, supplies, breeding stocks, and genetic materials; 
--exemptions from wharfage dues, export taxes, imposts and other 
fees; a tax credit on domestic capital equipment; 
 
--tax credits on domestic breeding stocks and genetic materials; 
 
--additional deductions for incremental labor costs and training 
expenses; 
 
--unrestricted use of consigned equipment; 
 
--remittance of earnings without prior approval from the Central 
Bank; 
 
--domestic sales allowance equivalent to 30 percent of total export 
sales; 
 
--permanent resident status for foreign investors and immediate 
family members; 
 
MANILA 00000149  020 OF 021 
 
 
 
--permission to hire foreign nationals; 
 
--exemption from local business taxes; and, 
 
--simplified import and export procedures. 
 
Information technology parks located in the National Capital Region 
may serve only as locations for service-type activities, with no 
manufacturing operations.  PEZA defines information technology as a 
collective term for various technologies involved in processing and 
transmitting information, which include computing, multimedia, 
telecommunications, and microelectronics. 
 
Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) 
 
The ecozones located inside the two principal former U.S. military 
bases and several minor former bases are independent of PEZA and 
subject to separate legislation under the Bases Conversion 
Development Authority (created under R.A. 7227).  The principal 
bases are the Subic Bay Freeport Zone in Subic Bay, Zambales, and 
the Clark Special Economic Zone in Angeles City, Pampanga. 
 
Five independent operational zones were converted under the Bases 
Conversion Development Authority: 
 
--Subic Bay Freeport and Special Economic Zone; 
--Clark Special Economic Zone; 
 
--John Hay Special Economic Zone; 
 
--Poro Point Special Economic and Freeport Zone; and, 
 
--Morong Special Economic Zone (Bataan Technology Park) 
 
Firms operating inside the zones are exempt from import duties and 
national taxes on imports of capital equipment and raw materials 
needed for their operations within the zone.  The zones are managed 
as separate customs territories.  Products imported into the zones 
are exempt from the GRP's Selective Preshipment Advance 
Classification Scheme, with the exception of products imported for 
sale at duty-free retail establishments within the zones.  Firms 
operating in the zones are required to pay only a five percent tax 
based on their gross income.  Additionally, both Clark and Subic 
have their own international airports, power plants, 
telecommunications networks, housing complexes, and tourist 
facilities. 
 
Regional Ecozones:  Zamboanga and Cagayan 
 
In addition to the PEZA zones and converted bases, two other 
privately-owned ecozones are independent of PEZA oversight: the 
Zamboanga City Economic Zone and Freeport, located in Zamboanga 
City, Mindanao; and the Cagayan Special Economic Zone and Freeport, 
covering the city of Santa Ana, Cagayan Province, and adjacent 
islands. The incentives available to investors in these zones are 
very similar PEZA incentives, and are provided for by the Zamboanga 
City Special Economic Zone Act of 1995 (R.A. 7903) and the Cagayan 
Special Economic Zone Act of 1995 (R.A. 7922). 
 
Capital Outflow Policy 
 
Outward capital investments from the Philippines do not require 
prior approval from the Central Bank when the outward investments 
are funded by withdrawals from foreign currency deposit accounts; 
the funds to be invested are not purchased from the banking system 
or foreign exchange corporations that are subsidiaries/affiliates of 
banks; or, if sourced from the banking system or bank-affiliated 
foreign exchange corporations, the funds to be invested do not 
exceed $30 million per investor or per fund  per year. 
 
Outward investments exceeding $30 million funded with foreign 
exchange purchases from the banking system or bank-affiliated 
foreign exchange corporations are subject to prior Central Bank 
approval and registration.  Qualified investors, such as mutual 
funds, pension or retirement funds, insurance companies, and such 
other funds or entities that the Central Bank determines as 
qualified investors, may apply for a higher, annual outward 
investment limit.  All outward investments of banks in subsidiaries 
and affiliates abroad require prior Central Bank approval. 
 
Applications to purchase foreign exchange from the banking system 
and from bank-affiliated foreign exchange corporations for outward 
investments should be accompanied by supporting documents and an 
 
MANILA 00000149  021 OF 021 
 
 
affidavit of undertaking.  Current regulations require that the 
foreign exchange proceeds from profits/dividends and capital 
divestments from such outward investments be inwardly remitted and 
sold for Philippine pesos within seven banking days from receipt of 
the funds abroad.  Regulations do not require inward remittance of 
these proceeds if intended for reinvestment overseas, provided the 
funds are reinvested abroad within two banking days from receipt. 
 
Foreign Direct Investment Statistics 
------- ------ ---------- ---------- 
 
The Philippine Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC), Board of 
Investments (BOI), National Economic and Development Authority 
(NEDA), and the Central Bank each generate direct investment 
statistics.  The Central Bank records actual investments based on 
balance of payments methodologies, readily available in US dollar 
terms.  Central Bank data are widely used as a reasonably reliable 
indicator of foreign investment stock and foreign investment flows. 
They are published annually by country and industry.   The Central 
Bank is currently working to improve measurement of foreign direct 
investment stock. 
 
The figures in Tables 1 refer to foreign direct investment stock 
reported by the Central Bank, based on the Philippines' 
international investment position using a balance of payments 
framework; however, disaggregation by country and by industry is not 
available.  Tables 2 and 3 provide annual net foreign direct 
investment flows.  Table 4 provides a list of major foreign 
investors in the Philippines, using the latest available published 
information from the SEC.  The United States is the Philippines' 
largest foreign investor, with an estimated 20 percent share of the 
Philippines' foreign direct investment stock as of year-end 2008. 
 
The formatted tables have been e-mailed to the Department 
separately. 
 
BASSET