39 articles found in Philippines

Key Takeaways Unregistered use offers almost no legal protection against infringement in the Philippines. You must formally register your brand assets with the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL)...

Exporting from the Philippines: Regulatory Guide and FAQ Customs Registration is Mandatory: All exporters must register with the Bureau of Customs (BOC) via the Client Profile Registration System (CPRS) before...

Republic Act No. 11659 (Amended Public Service Act) legally separates "public utilities" from "public services," lifting foreign ownership caps on many major industries. Foreign investors can now own up to...

The Philippines operates on a "first-to-file" system, meaning the first entity to register a trademark or patent secures the rights, regardless of who used or invented it first. Registering your...

Wrongful Dismissal in the Philippines: Employee Rights and Evidence Due process is mandatory: Employers cannot fire you without providing a valid legal reason and following the strict procedural requirements under...

Managing Labor Inspections for BPO Companies in the Philippines The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) conducts unannounced inspections to verify compliance with General Labor Standards and Occupational Safety and...

Fintech companies in the Philippines are primarily regulated by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) under the Manual of Regulations for Non-Bank Financial Institutions. Minimum capital requirements range from PHP...

A foreign branch office is an extension of the head office, meaning the parent company remains fully liable for all Philippine-based debts and obligations. Minimum paid-in capital is generally USD...

Foreign-owned BPOs must file a General Information Sheet (GIS) with the SEC within 30 days of their annual stockholders' meeting. While the Revised Corporation Code allows for 100% foreign ownership...

Explicit IP Transfer is Mandatory: Under Philippine law, intellectual property rights do not automatically transfer to the client in all "work-for-hire" scenarios; the contract must contain express assignment language. DPA...

Foreign corporations must file their General Information Sheet (GIS) with the SEC within 30 days of their annual meeting or the anniversary of their license issuance. Maintaining a local Resident...

The CREATE Act reduced the standard Corporate Income Tax (CIT) for foreign-owned corporations from 30% to 25%, making the Philippines more competitive within the ASEAN region. Incentives are performance-based and...

A foreign divorce is not automatically recognized in the Philippines; it requires a court process called a Petition for Judicial Recognition of Foreign Judgment. Article 26 of the Family Code...

Service Level Agreements (SLAs) in the Philippines are governed by the Civil Code and specific statutes like the Data Privacy Act of 2012. Service credits are the primary remedy for...

Strict Timelines: In the Philippines, you generally have 30 calendar days to file a formal "Answer" after receiving a summons; failing to do so can result in a default judgment...

Philippine family law is mainly governed by the Family Code and generally does not allow divorce for non-Muslim couples, so spouses usually file for declaration of nullity, annulment, or legal...

The main law on employment in the Philippines is the Labor Code, as amended by later statutes such as the Batas Kasambahay, the OSH Law, and the Anti-Age Discrimination Law,...

Most accident and injury claims in the Philippines are based on the Civil Code (quasi-delict / negligence), with 4-year general prescriptive periods but shorter deadlines for claims against government agencies...

Deciding to legally end a marriage is never easy. It is a path filled with emotional challenges and tough choices, particularly in the Philippines where the annulment process can be...