Republic of the Philippines

Congress of the Philippines

Begun and held in Metro Manila, on Monday, the twenty-second day of July, two
thousand two.
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9178
November 13, 2002
AN ACT TO PROMOTE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF BARANGAY MICRO BUSINESS
ENTERPRISES (BMBEs), PROVIDING INCENTIVES AND BENEFITS THEREFOR,
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled.
PRELIMINARY PROVISIONS
Section 1. Short Title This Act shall be known as the "Barangay Micro Business
Enterprises (BMBE's) Act of 2002."
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy It is hereby declared to be the policy of the State to
hasten the country's economic development by encouraging the formation and
growth of barangay micro business enterprises which effectively serve as seedbeds
of Filipino entrepreneurial talents, and intergranting those in the informal sector
with the mainstream economy, through the rationalization of bureaucratic
restrictions, the active granting of incentives and benefits to generate much-needed
employment and alleviate poverty.chanrobles virtualaw library
Sec. 3. Definition of Terms As used in this Act, the following terms shall mean:
(a) "Barangay Micro Business Enterprise," hereinafter referred to as BMBE, refers to
any business entity or enterprise engaged in the production, processing or
manufacturing of products or commodities, including agro-processing, trading and
services, whose total assets including those arising from loans but exclusive of the
land on which the particular business entity's office, plant and equipment are
situated, shall not be more than Three Million Pesos (P3,000,000.00) The Above
definition shall be subjected to review and upward adjustment by the SMED Council,
as mandated under Republic Act No. 6977, as amended by Republic Act No. 8289.
For the purpose of this Act, "service" shall exclude those rendered by any one, who
is duly licensed government after having passed a government licensure
examination, in connection with the exercise of one's profession.
(b) "Certificate of Authority" is the certificate issued granting the authority to the
registered BMBE to operate and be entitled to the benefits and privileges accorded
thereto.
(c) "Assets" refers to all kinds of properties, real or personal, owned by the BMBE
and used for the conduct of its business as defined by the SMED
Council: Provided, That for the purpose of exemption from taxes and fees under this

Act, this term shall mean all kinds of properties, real or personal, owned and/or used
by the BMBE for the conduct of its business as defined by the SMED Council.
(d) "Registration" refers to the inclusion of BMBE in the BMBE Registry of a city or
municipality.
(e) "Financing" refers to all borrowings of the BMBE from all sources after
registration.
REGISTRATION AND OPERATION OF BMBE
Sec. 4. Registration and Fees - The Office of the Treasurer of each city or
municipality shall register the BMBE's and issue a Certificate of Authority to enable
the BMBE to avail of the benefits under this Act. Any such applications shall be
processed within fifteen (15) working days upon submission of complete
documents. Otherwise, the BMBEs shall be deemed registered. The Municipal or City
Mayor may appoint a BMBE Registration Officer who shall be under the Office of the
Treasurer. Local government units (LGU's) are encouraged to establish a One-Stopbusiness Registration Center to handle the efficient registration and processing of
permits/licenses of BMBEs. Likewise, LGUs shall make a periodic evaluation of the
BMBE's financial status for monitoring and reporting purposes.
The LGUs shall issue the Certificate of Authority promptly and free of charge.
However, to defray the administrative costs of registering and monitoring the
BMBEs, the LGUs may charge a fee renewal.
The Certificate of Authority shall be effective for a period of two (2) years,
renewable for a period of two (2) years for every renewal.
As much as possible, BMBEs shall be subject to minimal bureaucratic requirements
and reasonable fees and charges.chanrobles virtualaw library
Sec. 5. Who are Eligible to Register Any person, natural or juridical, or cooperative,
or association, having the qualifications as defined in Sec. 3(a) hereof may apply for
registration as BMBE.chanrobles virtualaw library
Sec. 6. Transfer of Ownership - The BMBE shall report to the city or municipality of
any changer in the status of its ownership structure, and shall surrender the original
copy of the BMBE Certificate of Authority for notation of the transfer.
INCENTIVES AND BENEFITS
Sec. 7. Exemption from Taxes and Fees All BMBEs shall be exempt from tax for
income arising from the operations of the enterprise.
The LGUs are encouraged either to reduce the amount of local taxes, fees and
charges imposed or to exempt BMBEs from local taxes, fees and charges.chanrobles
virtualaw library
Sec. 8. Exemption from the Coverage of the Minimum Wage Law The BMBEs shall
be exempt from the coverage of the Minimum Wage Law: Provided, That all
employees covered under this Act shall be entitled to the same benefits given to
any regular employee such as social security and healthcare benefits.chanrobles
virtualaw library
Sec. 9. Credit Delivery upon the approval of this Act, the land Bank of the
Philippines (LBP), the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP), the Small
Business Guarantee and Finance Corporation (SBGFC), and the People's Credit and

Finance Corporation (PCFC) shall set up a special credit window that will service the
financing needs of BMBEs registered under this Act consistent with the Banko
Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) policies; rules and regulations. The Government Service
Insurance System (GSIS) and Social Security System (SSS) shall likewise set up a
special credit window that will serve the financing needs of their respective
members who wish to establish a BMBE. The concerned financial institutions (FIs)
encouraged to wholesale the funds to accredited private financial institutions
including community-based organizations such as credit, cooperatives, nongovernment organizations (NGOs) and people's organizations, which will in turn,
directly provide credit support to BMBEs.
All loans from whatever sources granted to BMBEs under this Act shall be
considered as part of alternative compliance to Presidential Decree no, 717,,
otherwise known as the Agri-Agra Law, or to Republic Act. No. 6977, known as the
Magna Carta for Small and Medium Enterprises, as amended. For purposes of
compliance with presidential Decree no. 717 and Republic Act No. 6977, as
amended, loans granted to BMBEs under this Act shall be computed at twice the
amount of the face value of the loans.
To minimize the risks in lending to the BMBEs, the SBGFC and the Quedan and Rural
Credit Guarantee Corporation (QUEDANCOR) under the Department of Agriculture,
in case of agribusiness activities, shall set up a special guarantee window to provide
the necessary credit guarantee to BMBEs unde rtheir respective guarantee
programs.
The LBP, DBP. PCFC, SBGFC, SSS, GSIS, and QUEDANCOR shall annually report to the
appropriate Committee of Both Houses of Congress on the status of the
implementation of this provision.
The BSP shall formulate the rules for the implementation of this provision and shall
likewise establish incentive programs to encourage and improve credit delivery to
the BMBEs.chanrobles virtualaw library
Sec. 10. Technology Transfer, Production and Management Training, and marketing
Assistance A BMBE Development Fund shall be set up with an endowment of Three
Hundred Million pesos (P300,000,000.00) from the Philippine Amusement and
Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) and shall be administered by the SMED Council.
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Department of Science and
Technology (DOST), the university of the Philippines Institute for Small Scale
Industries (UP ISSI), Cooperative Development Authority (CDA), Technical Education
and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), and Technology and Livelihood Resource
Center (TLRC) may avail of the said Fund for technology transfer, production and
management training and marketing assistance to BMBEs.
The DTI, in coordination with the private sector and non-government organization
(NGOs), shall explore the possibilities of linking or matching-up BMBEs with small,
medium and large enterprises and likewise establish incentives therefor.
The DTI, in behalf of the DOST, UP ISSI, CDA. TESDA and TLRC shall be required to
furnish the appropriate Committees of both Houses of Congress a yearly report on
the development and accomplishments of their projects and programs in relation to
technology transfer, production and management training and marketing assistance
extended to BMBEs.chanrobles virtualaw library

Sec. 11. Trade and Investment Promotions The data gathered from business
registration shall be made accessible to and shall be utilized by private sector
organizations and non-government organizations for purposes of business
matching, trade and investment promotion.
INFORMATION DISSEMINATION
Sec. 12. Information Dissemination - The Philippine Information Agency (PIA), in
accordance with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), the DILG and
the DTI, shall ensure the proper and adequate information dissemination of the
contents and benefits of this Act to the general public especially to its intended
beneficiaries specifically in the barangay level.
PENALTY
Sec. 13. Penalty - Any person who shall willfully violates any provision of this Act or
who shall in any manner commit any act to defeat any provisions of this Act shall,
upon conviction, be punished by a fine of not less than twenty-five Thousand Pesos
(P25,000.00) but not more than Fifty Thousand Pesos (P50,000.00) and suffer
imprisonment of not less than six (6) months but not more than two (2) years.
In case of non-compliance with the provisions of Sec. 9 of this Act, the BSP shall
impose administrative sanctions and other penalties on the concerned government
financial institutions, including a fine of not less than Five Hundred Thousand Pesos
(P500,000.00)
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
Sec. 14. Annual Report The DILG, DTI, and BSP shall submit an annual report to the
Congress on the status of the implementation of this Act.chanrobles virtualaw
library
Sec. 15. Implementing Rules and Regulations The Secretary of the Department of
Trade and Industry, in consultation with the Secretaries of the DILG, DOF, and the
BSP Governor shall formulate the necessary ruled and regulations to implement the
provisions of this Act within ninety (90) days after its approval. The rules and
regulations issued pursuant to this section shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in a newspaper of general circulation.chanrobles virtualaw library
Sec. 16. Separably Clause - If any provision or part hereof, is held invalid or
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected
shall remain valid and subsisting.chanrobles virtualaw library
Sec. 17. Repealing Clause Existing laws, presidential decrees, executive orders,
proclamations or administrative regulations that are inconsistent with the provisions
of this Act are hereby amended, modified, superseded or repealed
accordingly.chanrobles virtualaw library
Sec. 18. Effectivity This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in
the Office Gazette or in at least two (2) newspaper of general circulation.

Approved:
FRANKLIN DRILON
President of the Senate

JOSE DE VENECIA JR.

Representatives
This Act, which is a consolidation of Senate Bill No. 1855 and House Bill No. 4871
was finally passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives on October 24,
2002 and October 23, 2002, respectively.
OSCAR G. YABES
Secretary of Senate
Approved: November 13, 2002
GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO
President of the Philippines

ROBERTO P. NAZARENO
Secretary General
House of Represenatives