Be reachable in the Philippines before you’re asked to be.

VAT on digital services (RA 12023)

Digital service providers, resident or nonresident, are liable for VAT on digital services consumed in the Philippines. Nonresident providers must register for VAT once they meet the registration threshold, and failure to register can lead to suspension, including blocking of the digital service.

Internet Transactions Act (RA 11967)

Covers online B2B and B2C transactions within DTI’s mandate where a party is in the Philippines, or where a platform or merchant avails of the Philippine market and has minimum contacts there.

Data Privacy Act (RA 10173) & NPC Circular 2022-04

Extraterritorial reach in defined cases, and registration of data processing systems and a Data Protection Officer where the criteria are met.

Sector rules

For example, the SEC’s 2025 rules for crypto-asset service providers (SEC MC Nos. 4 and 5, s. 2025, as reported) require a staffed physical office in the Philippines.

Reachability & local-presence programme

• Design how your company is reached in the Philippines: named local contact, escalation path, response hours, language, and the internal owners behind them.
• Where an entity, resident agent or licence is needed, we coordinate the workstream with licensed Philippine counsel and manage the stakeholder side.

Government relations

• Stakeholder maps across relevant agencies (e.g., BIR, DTI, NPC, SEC, CICC, DICT/NTC) and legislative committees.
• Introductory engagement plans, meeting preparation and follow-through.
• Consultation and hearing readiness.

Corporate public affairs & reputation

• Positioning and narrative for your Philippine presence.
• Media relations and spokesperson preparation, in English and Filipino.
• Coalition and industry-association engagement.

Rapid-response & crisis protocol

• Holding statements for regulator enquiries and media.
• Role matrix (comms, legal, policy, product).
• Employee and partner FAQ.
• Rehearsed escalation, so a regulator’s letter becomes a routine exchange rather than a headline.

Regulatory watch & briefings

• Plain-English briefings on the Philippine policy developments that matter to your business, with an owner and a next step for each.

Readiness check (week 1)

A structured review of reachability, tax, e-commerce, privacy, licensing and communications readiness. It starts from our free self-assessment.

Stakeholder & risk map

Who matters, what they expect, where you’re exposed, who owns each gap.

Presence & engagement plan

A local contact model, a government-relations calendar, holding statements and a response protocol. Legal workstreams are scoped with licensed Philippine counsel.

Run & review

Ongoing GR and public affairs support, regulator watch, and quarterly reviews.