26/08/2026
This is the reality many business owners in Manila are dealing with.
Every year, we’re hit with another fee, another permit, another requirement, another inspection, another expense. We’re expected to keep paying, keep complying, and keep our mouths shut because what choice do we really have? If we don’t comply, we risk delays, penalties, or even being unable to operate.
In our case, the increase has been staggering. What was around ₱20,000 in 2025 has become ₱106,000 in 2026. On top of that, our garbage collection fee jumped from around ₱1,000 to nearly ₱60,000. How is a small business expected to absorb increases like that?
As if that wasn’t enough, electricity prices continue to rise. We had to make painful decisions—cut workdays, adjust staff schedules, increase our prices, and absorb costs just to keep the business alive. These aren’t decisions we want to make. They’re decisions we’re forced to make.
Meanwhile, government fees and charges never seem to stop. Instead of making it easier for entrepreneurs to survive, it often feels like we’re being squeezed even harder.
I’ve watched amazing coffee shops close their doors—not because they lacked customers or passion, but because the numbers simply stopped making sense. Rent, utilities, wages, taxes, permits, inspections, and countless other operating expenses keep increasing while profit margins continue to shrink.
TO BE CONTINUED IN THE COMMENT SEC*
