Warm smiles welcome you in any Philippine government office where the staff is solicitous and pleasant, where language barrier is rarely an issue, and public service is a both a joy and a responsibility.
Cost of Doing Business in the Philippines
Investors who establish offices in the Philippines enjoy huge savings in business operations costs. The Philippine Board of Investment gives potential investors a bird’s eye view of the costs of doing business in the country.
Manpower
Accomodations
Communications
Manpower
| Salaries and Wages of Office Personnel | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| CEO | $ 6, 788 | $81,456 |
| Systems Director | $2,477 | $29,724 |
| Factory / Plant Mgr. | $2,104 | $ 25, 428 |
| MIS Mgr. | $ 1,151 – 2,700 | $ 13,812 – 32,400 |
| Systems / Network Engineer | $ 500 – 1,100 | $ 6,000 – 13,200 |
| Software Developer | ||
| 1 yr. Experience | $ 300 – 400 | $ 3,600 – 4,800 |
| 3 yrs. Experience | $ 400 – 700 | $ 4,800 – 8,400 |
| 5 yrs. Experience | $ 800 – 1,250 | $ 9,600 – 15, 000 |
| Call Center Operator | $ 350 – 700 | $ 4,200 – 8,400 |
| Messenger | $227 | $ 2, 724 |
| Janitor | $188 | $2,256 |
| Accountant | $426 | $5,112 |
| Secretary | ||
| Division | $433 | $5,196 |
| Department | $328 | $3,936 |
| Section / Unit | $345 | $4,140 |
| Accounting Clerk | $262 | $3,144 |
| Driver | $244 | $2,928 |
Accomodations
| Office Space Rental (per sq. m) |
$ 9 to $ 22 (Makati) $ 10 to $ 22 (Alabang and other Areas) $ 9 to $ 12 (Ortigas) |
| House Rental (Makati) | $ 1,991 to $ 15,000 |
| Residential Condo Unit (Makati) | $ 1,369 to $2,987 (plus taxes/association dues) |
| 5-Star Hotel (Makati) | $ 250 to $ 2,700 (subjected to 10% service rate and prevailing government tax) |
| Car Rental with Driver (AVIS) | $ 90 to $ 150 |
Communications
| Telephone Rental | |
|---|---|
| Residential | |
| * Installation | $74 |
| * Monthly Billing | $ 13 (+ 10% VAT) |
| Business | |
| * Installation | $131 |
| * Monthly Billing | $ 26 (+ 10% VAT) |
| Cellular Phone Charges | Ranging from 19¢ to 24¢ per minute |
| Fax Unit Price | $ 266 to 3,035 |
| T-1 with local loop (US West Coast to Mla.) | $ 266 to 3,035 |
| 256 KB Frame relay w/ local loop (Mla to W. Europe) | $ 35 to 40,000 / mo. |
| International Calls | |
|---|---|
| ASEAN / Hongkong / Japan / Macao / South Korea |
12¢ to 16¢ (1st minute) |
| 12¢ to 15¢ (each additional 6 secs.) | |
| Australia / New Zealand | 19¢ to 21¢ (1st minute) |
| 14¢ to 17¢ (each additional 6 secs.) | |
| USA/ Canada | 17¢ (1st minute) |
| 12¢ to 14¢ (each additional 6 secs.) | |
| France / Germany / Italy / Spain / UK | 17¢ to 19¢ (1st minute) |
| 17¢ to 18¢ (each additional 6 secs.) | |
| China /India | 17¢ to 21¢ (1st minute) |
| 14¢ to 17¢ (each additional 6 secs.) | |
| Kuwait/UAE/Bahrain/Saudi Arabia | 17¢ to 23¢ (1st minute) |
| 15¢ to 17¢ (each additional 6 secs.) | |
Note:
- Monthly salary rates were derived from Asiaweek Magazine, 17 March 2000.
- Dollar exchange rate as of March 2000: US$1 = Php 40.85
Relevant guides to doing business in the Philippines can be found here:
Philippine Board of Investments’ “Doing Business in the Philippines Checklist”
SycipGorresVelayo’sDoing Business in the Philippines”
Download Joaquin Cunanan & Co./ Pricewaterhouse Coopers-Philippines:
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