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What it costs to set up in Manila
Founders ask us this constantly. Here is the honest answer, straight from our own books.
We keep our own accounts the way we keep our clients’ — and we are happy to show them. When GEOLINK registered itself in 2026, the full setup cost broke down like this:
Registration. BIR registration, including processing, fees, stamps, certification, books of accounts, notary and printed service invoices: about PHP 19,700.
Licensing. Mayor’s Permit and business license, including City Hall processing, PSIC and notary: about PHP 35,561.
City taxes. The city eSOA covering business tax, fees, inspections and clearances: about PHP 15,072.
Those three together — registration, licensing and first-year city taxes — came to roughly PHP 70,300 before operating costs. Every business differs, but this is a realistic planning figure for a small service business in Manila, and it gives founders a far better basis than guessing.