Applying for TIN in Davao

Filing a tax statement is one of the most basic responsibilities we have as citizens of Davao and the Philippines. However, you need to obtain your own unique TIN or Tax Identification Number before you can do so. All natural-born Filipinos have to file it because it will be utilized for all tax-related documents. When I first applied for a TIN, I too was confused with the process and did not know where or how I should start. Hence, I am writing this post to help you navigate the process and make it go as smoothly as possible.

Please note that this process applies not just in Davao – all process of applying for TIN is the same wherever you are in the Philippines. The first thing that you have to consider before applying for a TIN is the purpose for it. Nowadays, BIR are very strict about accepting applications and you need to have a specific purpose of getting one before you can be approved. Are you self-employed or just got hired by a company? You will be asked to specify your need for a TIN before you can move on to the succeeding steps in your application.

You should visit the BIR office in Davao in order to get your BIR Form 1901. This application form must be filled out with basic personal information such as full name, residence and/or business address, etc. In the Taxpayer type section, you have to specify which category you belong in. Your options include Sole Proprietor, Trust, Estate, or Professional. If you are a business owner, make sure to supply pertinent information regarding your business.

For those who are non-citizen, you should fill out BIR Form 1902. In this form, you have to specify whether you are a residential alien or local employee. Also, you have to provide the same information as above although some of the required information might vary.

I also submitted a few important documents during my application for TIN in BIR Davao. Make sure you prepare any of the following documents: birth certificate, or DTI certificate of registration and Mayor's permit for those applying TIN for a business enterprise.

Applicants of TIN in Davao must pay a fee of PhP 500 (this was the rate when I last applied – make sure to call up BIR Davao for updated information on fees). You have to pay this fee via any of the authorized district office agent banks. Also, you have to pay PhP 15 for the Documentary Stamp Tax.

Once you have completed the forms and other required documents, you can mail it to the corresponding BIR offices. Or you can also visit their branch personally to submit and pay those fees.

Wait for your TIN to be mailed to the address that you have indicated in your application form. Based on my experience, the TIN will be released and sent to you roughly a month or two, depending on the volume of applications at BIR Davao or local BIR branches in your area.

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10 Steps to Secure a Building Permit in Davao

When my parents ventured into the restaurant business, I knew there would be a lot of work to be done. One of the first few things that we had to take care of is to secure building permit. This is a document awarded to the applicant or business owner, which in this case are my parents, so that they can perform construction or other building projects. There is an expiration to the building permit, though, so it is important to renew that from time to time to ensure the legality of the business operation.

To serve as your guide, I will outline the steps that we followed while securing the building permit for our business. They are as follows:

1. Obtain a copy of the building permit application form. There are 5 copies in total that you need to fulfill and each one provides their own list of requirements.

2. Obtain first endorsement to other office agencies. Prepare beforehand a copy of your building plan and its supporting documents to any Building Official. They will verify the requirements before your application is endorsed to other agencies such as DENR, BFP, etc. depending on the required clearances.

3. In case the applicant does not own the lot in which the building is going to be constructed in, a Written Consent or Contract of Lease must be presented. If there are any clearances required from the previous step, make sure to complete them at this point.

4. This process involves the evaluation and assessment of the site wherein the building will be constructed in. A Building Staff will conduct the evaluation based on the plans presented to them. Applicants must prepare 5 different plans, all of which had been signed or sealed by a licensed Engineer or Architect.

5. The initial inquiry on the status of your building permit application can be done one day since the initial filing. If, for instance, no deficiencies were detected during the evaluation and assessment, then you can move on to step 8 and skip all of the succeeding steps.

6. If the initial evaluation and assessment proved unsuccessful, further structural design analysis is conducted. Load tests will oftentimes be conducted, especially for building higher than 3 stories.

7. All documents that must be corrected must be re-submitted. Also, if there are any lacking requirements, make sure to comply with all of them.

8. The certificate of location clearance, City Fire Marshall endorsement, and zoning results will be released.

9. Fees must be settled on building permit, zoning fees, and the sign board for the start of construction.

10. The approval of building permit is granted and construction can begin at the site.

In case you are planning to apply for a building permit in the city, follow the steps we did above to make the entire process much easier for you.

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How To Apply For Marriage License In Davao

Planning to settle down and get married? Then you must ready your marriage license. Marriage license is a requirement for both civil and church wedding here in Davao. This piece of document is your ultimate ticket to walk the aisle. My wife and I processed our marriage license effortlessly, and this is how we did it.

The most basic rule of thumb in dealing with local Philippine government office is to arrive early morning, or right after lunch break, this is to avoid long queue of people.

We drove to our city’s Local Civil Registrar and secured the application form for marriage license. We filed a sworn application separately for the license. I filled out the left sheet, while my partner signed the right sheet.

Sworn applications for such license shall specific the following:

• Full name of the contracting party
• Place of birth
• Age and date of birth
• Age and date of birth
• Civil status
• If previously married, how, when and where the previous marriage was dissolved or annulled
• Present residence and citizenship
• Degree of relationship of the contracting parties
• Full name, residence and citizenship of the father
• Full name, residence and citizenship of the mother and
• Full name, residence and citizenship of the guardian or person having charge, in case the contracting party has neither father nor mother and is under the age of twenty-one (21) years.

We were lucky we have our parents helping us with the process; we were able to relieve ourselves from extra stress by completing all requirements before heading to the registrar’s office. Also, we were advised to bring the original and clear photocopies of the required documents just to make sure.

We then sworn for our applications and submit the following documents:

• Original birth certificate or baptismal certificate issued by NSO, Certified True Copy
• Certificate of No Marriage (CENOMAR), this is issued by the NSO
• Community Tax Certificate or Cedula
• 1 x 1 ID picture, both colored and black and white
• For applicants below 18 to 21 years old, the registrar required Affidavit ot Parent’s Consent or Affidavit of Parent’s Advice for 21 to 25 years old. This document is a written indication that the parents of the involved parties are aware of the couple’s intent to tie the knot.

After submitting all these documents, we were then handed a slip of paper that required us to attend a scheduled seminar on pre-marital counseling and family planning at our City Hall. From there we obtained our Certificate of Attendance, which is also a requirement for the marriage license.

Our presence was required for the claiming of marriage license. The Philippine law gives 10-days waiting period from the day the application is filed to the day of license issuance. Marriage license issued by the Local Civil Registrar is valid for 120 days from the date of issuance, including the actual wedding date, and can be used anywhere in the country.

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Guide to Taxi Franchise Application in Davao

Public utility vehicles or PUVs are very common in Davao, as well as the rest of the Philippines. In fact, most of the residents rely on these vehicles to commute from home to work, school, or some other destinations. For this reason, a lot of business owners are also looking to exploit this huge demand in public utility vehicles by applying for a taxi or PUV franchise.

If you would like to apply for a franchise in Davao with your vehicle, I have outlined the steps for you. This information is based on my own experience filing for a franchise on my PUJs and taxi cabs before, but you can always contact LTO for more information i.e. fees and requirements.

The most basic requirement before you can file for a taxi franchise is a taxi cab. As an entrepreneur, you can choose what car model to register for your taxi business. Also, you can pick either second-hand or brand new cars to be registered as part of your operation. Aside from the car, you will also be required to have a professional driver to operate the vehicle.

The business registration for your taxi operation is required by the LTO before you are given a franchise permit. You can go to DTI Davao for the business registration, or you can also send application online. The business registration will be completed once you have presented the Business Name registration form, Business TIN, five business names ranked according to preference, and registration fee of PhP 300. Once you have the business permit from DTI, go to LTO Davao to legalize the franchise operation.

In your application, make sure to specify if you are applying as individual, cooperative, or corporation. You will then be asked to submit any of the following requirements (depending on the type of franchise you're applying for): verified petition, TIN, official registration of the car model, Filipino citizenship documents, community tax certificate, information data sheet, CDC or passbook, DTI-issued certificate of business name, map for location of garage, two copies of 2x2 picture for operator, zoning clearance, and personal appearance of operator upon application of franchise.

Once the initial review of your franchise application has been completed, LTO might require you to comply with additional requirements. For instance, they will require you to provide insurance for your car and its driver. The taxi meters will also be thoroughly inspected before you are given the go signal to operate in Davao. Or, in some cases, LTO officials will ask you to provide proof for maintenance and repair of your taxi cabs.

You can always call LTO Davao for more information about applying for a taxi cab franchise in the city, especially if you have special concerns. Or, you can visit their website to check for updated info on fees and other requirements.

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How To Apply For SSS Loan in Davao

Hearing from my peers that it will only take about 2 weeks for the loan to be processed, and that any SSS member can apply even without the ID, I filled up the SSS loan's application form. I was planning to cover all the bills and credits before the third quarter of the year to keep myself from paying from interest and give my brother some money for his school obligations.

As what their official website says, SSS loan is intended to meet SSS member's short-term financial needs, which is perfect, as I don't want to compromise my monthly budget.
There are three types of SSS loans, the Salary loan, Housing loan, and Business loan. I didn't really need tons of money to cover my financial obligations, so I opt for a smaller amount to loan through the salary loan. It says I only have to pay 10% interest per annum, where the first year of interest is directly deducted in advance right in the proceeds of the loan and the second year would be deducted in my monthly amortization. That deal was perfect, as I'm not really big amount of cash.

So I scheduled a meeting with our company's finance department officer to talk about my salary loan. I filled up the necessary info (SSS Form ISL-101 (Member Loan Application Revised March 2004), presented my digitized SSS ID, E-6 acknowledgement stub with two IDs that includes date of birth and recent photo and submitted the required papers and documents. Some important documents written in the form are:

Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) ID Card
Unexpired Driver's License
Passport
Postal ID
School or Company ID
Tax Identification Number Card (TIN)

I waited for a couple of weeks, as it's what our HR said. After almost 3 weeks, I received an update from our HR officer. She gave me a claim stub which means the SSS has received my request and are on their way to processing it.

I checked my SSS online after a couple of weeks, and I saw details about my loan request under the “Loan tab.” Then after a few days, I received my money.
It wasn't just my first time to apply for an SSS loan; it was actually my first time to apply for any type of loan, and so I was very excited to try it out myself.

There's also another option for faster loan application and approval - and that's through SSS salary loan online. Since it was my first time, I opted for the traditional/manual process just to try it out. Maybe next time I'll try online.

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101 on PhilHealth Membership in Davao

A few years ago, my mother saved a great deal on my grandmother's hospital bills because a huge percentage of it was covered by PhilHealth. At that point, I realized the tremendous benefit offered by the PhilHealth program during times of medical emergencies. I decided there and then that I will get my own PhilHealth membership so that I can prepare for such emergencies and ensure that myself, as well as my family, will get the health care they need.

When I got employed, I decided to apply for my own PhilHealth membership. It was a simple process because I had my employer to help me out with it. You have to note, though, that your PhilHealth number is unique and will serve as your lifetime number corresponding to your membership. Make sure to use that number when paying your contributions, especially if you are a self-employed individual who had to settle your own payments (rather than being automatically deducted off of your salary by your employer).

The first step in applying for PhilHealth membership is to obtain a copy of the Registration Form. You can get one from their website and make sure that you attach the supporting documents along with your filled out form upon submission. Also, if you would like to declare any dependents under your PhilHealth insurance, then make sure to list down their names in the application form. After your application had been made official, you will be assigned a PhilHealth Identification Number and the Member Data Record. You will be asked to pay the premiums for your insurance to the Cashier at the PhilHealth branch or any other accredited banks.

All individually paying members who are official PhilHealth members need to secure a monthly payment of PhP 100. This payment is done quarterly, semi-annually, or annually. If you have questions about the premiums, you can always visit the PhilHealth Davao branch to have your questions clarified. Or, you can visit their website because it lists down all of the information you need to know about your registration and membership. There are varying requirements, though, when it comes to processing the PhilHealth insurance coverage for your dependents, so consult with a PhilHealth staff to get more info about that.

If you want to ensure that you can enjoy PhilHealth membership benefits for yourself, your spouse, kids, or senior parents, make sure to visit the PhilHealth branch in Davao located Valgosons Bldg., Bolton Extension, Poblacion, Davao City, Davao Del Sur  (082) 297-7439 |  (082) 2962265 (fax) region11@philhealth.gov.ph to learn more about how you can apply. Make sure that you provide any of the required documents listed above to ensure that your application will be processed immediately. Hopefully, you won't have to undergo medical emergencies within your family. But in case such unforeseen and inevitable incidents arise, you will have peace of mind knowing that you can give your loved ones the care they deserve without draining your savings.

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How to Apply for a Driver's License in Davao City

  Don't Be Afraid Do It Your Own, Here's A Guide, Don't Deal With Fixer.

Do you have a driver's license? If not, are you planning to apply for one? I just recently obtained a driver's license and find the process to be an arduous one. Please note that there are different processes involved when you are trying to apply for a renewal of your driver's license or if it is your first time doing so.

There are two options for where you can file a driver's license application and driver's license renewal in Davao City: 1) the main LTO branch at Quimpo Blvd for driver's license application and First time driver's license renewal or 2) the LTO Branch at SM City Mall. However, all second time and so on driver's license renewals must be done at LTO Branch at SM City Mall for faster and more comfortable place for renewal. Obviously, the processing for license renewals are easier and faster as compared to when it is your first time.

I expected it is going to be a long process and know for sure that there will be a long queue at the Land Transportation Office branch. I found out that you need to have basic documents for identification such as my birth certificate. Aside from the birth certificate, new applications must also bring a guardian's identification, especially those who are below 16 years of age.

Before going to the LTO branch office, though, I would suggest you undergo medical test and drug test first. The results of these tests are required by the LTO accredit centers before proceeding to the next step in your application for a driver's license. The next step is to obtain the application form and fill it up with the personal details needed to produce your license records.

Once you are done filling out the application form, you will be directed to this room wherein you would have to have your picture taken. This is free and you do not have to pay anything for the pictures. However, you will be asked to pay for the exam fee. This exam comes in two formats: written and drive test exam. Naturally, the written exam is used to gauge your understanding of basic to complex traffic rules that are vital in real-life driving situations. Meanwhile, the drive test exam is designed to assess your skill as a driver before you are allowed to go on the road.

By this point, you simply have to wait for your name to be called and you must go to the next window for the releasing of your driver's license. The process can be slow or fast, depending on the volume of people that are present by the time of the application. But if you brought a complete set of documents with you and you have passed the corresponding exams, then you should be able to get your license fairly quickly even during your first application.

When applying for a driver's license, avoid passing through fixers. Aside from the fact that they ask you for double or triple the amount that you need to pay when getting a driver's license, there is also a risk that your license will be taken away from you or that you will be charged for it. Do not be intimidated by the exam because it will also benefit you to become a more efficient driver.


Here are the following Requirements for getting your Professional Driver’s License

Qualifications:

Must be at least eighteen (18) years old
Must be physically and mentally fit to operate a motor vehicle
Must not be a drug user or an alcoholic
Must not be afflicted with any contagious disease or epilepsy
Must be able to read and write in Filipino or English
Must be clean, neat and presentable
Requirements:

Duly accomplished Application Form for Driver’s License (ADL)
Valid Student Permit (at least 5 months old or four months old Non Prof License)
Medical Certificate with Official Receipt from LTO accredited or Government physician)
Negative drug test result from a DOG accredited drug testing center or Government hospital
Taxpayer’s Identification Number (TIN)
Clearances. Any of the following:

a. NBI Clearance
b. Police Clearance
c. Court Clearance

7. Must have passed the LTO conducted written and practical examinations.

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Pag Ibig Loan in Davao: How to Apply

 Pag-Ibig Housing Loan 

Are you a resident of Davao? Would you like to invest in your own home? You are not alone. Like you, I once dreamed of having my own home and with the increase of housing developments in the city, there are more options available for me to choose from. But then it is only a matter of time when the harsh reality confronted me – can I afford to buy my own home? For this reason, I turned to PAG-IBIG to get a loan so I can finance the purchase of my new home.

An important thing to note before you apply for a PAG-IBIG loan in Davao is that not all developers accept this type of financing. Typically, this loan is accepted only by low- to middle-cost developers. The first thing you should do, like I did, would be to verify with your developer if it would be possible for you to finance the housing with PAG-IBIG.

There are several types of properties that PAG-IBIG members can apply for when obtaining a loan, although residential lots are the most common. Among these other financing options cover for house construction, house improvement, condo units, townhouses, and refinancing of an existing mortgage loan.

There are also certain requirements that members should meet in order to become eligible for a housing loan from PAG-IBIG. First off, you must be a member for a minimum of 2 years with the same amount of monthly contributions and nothing less. Also, applicants should be below 65 years in age and must not reach the age of 70 upon the entire span of the loan. All applicants to the PAG-IBIG housing loan must also be legally capable to obtain real estate properties in Davao, as well as the rest of the Philippines.

Only those without any existing loans at PAG-IBIG will be qualified to apply for housing loans. At the same time, any canceled or foreclosed loans will also automatically disqualify from applying for this loan. Any multi-purpose loans you might have is acceptable, provided that you can show proof of updated payments.

For my loan, I was able to get a housing loan of up to 6 million pesos. I had 7.98 % interest on my loan for the first 3 years, then it will go up to 8.98% for another 5 years, and then finally reaching 10% for 10 years, and so on. Hence, it is important to attend the PAG-IBIG seminar before you apply for a loan because I found it such a helpful avenue to raise concerns or ask any questions I might have about the application process. Repayment of a PAG-IBIG loan can last for up to 30 years.

The information provided here are based on my own experience applying for a loan from PAG-IBIG. However, it is best to approach any representative from PAG-IBIG or visit their website should you need further clarifications about your own application. Here's a link for Housing Loan Related. 

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