Business name registrations dipped by six percent in the January to September period from a year ago as new filings declined, according to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
Data from the DTI showed that business names registered with the agency reached a total of 856,220 from January to September, lower than the 910,492 recorded in the same period last year.
Of the total registrations, the bulk or 738,668 were new registrations, down by eight percent from 805,845 in the same period last year.
Meanwhile, there were 117,552 renewals during the period, up by 12 percent from 104,647 in the same period in 2024.
The wholesale and retail trade sector accounted for the biggest share of business name registrations, with 464,767 filings made in the January to September period.
Accommodation and food service activities came in next with 117,873 filings during the nine-month period.
By location, Region 4-A or Calabarzon had the largest number of business name registrations, with filings reaching 158,828 in the nine-month period.
This was followed by the National Capital Region with 121,078 filings from January to September.
Central Luzon ranked third with 114,953 business names registered during the nine-month period.
When it comes to the registration method, online was the preferred mode for both new business names and renewals.
In particular, there were 643,413 new business names registered and 90,199 renewals made online from January to September.
In September alone, total business names registered with the DTI rose by three percent to 73,694 from 71,636 in the same month last year.
In 2024, business names registered with the DTI reached 1.06 million.