BUSINESS name registrations expanded by 6 percent in January, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said on Friday.
Data from the DTI’s Business Name Registration System (BNRS) recorded 251,168 filings, higher than the 236,105 in January 2025.
Of the total, 199,325 were new listings, while 51,843 were renewals.
Majority of business names were registered online, accounting for 197,087 (78.52 percent); hybrid registrations, 51,154 (20.37 percent); and walk-ins, 2,927 (1.17 percent).
Wholesale and retail trade comprised the largest share at 154,380 registrations. The sector includes motor vehicles and motorcycle repair, as well as personal and household goods.
Accommodation and food services ranked second with 31,226 registrations; real estate, 15,275; manufacturing, 11,496; and other service activities, 9,726.
By location, Region 4A or Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon (Calabarzon) topped the list with 45,392 registered business names.
Second was Region 3 (Central Luzon), 31,483; followed by Metro Manila, 22,578; Region 1 (Ilocos), 17,244; and Region 7 (Central Visayas), 14,680.
In 2025, the numbers fell by four percent to 1.02 million, lower than the 1.06 million in 2024.