Ayaw ko na mag business sa pinas.

AN OPEN LETTER TO THE PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT

I’m writing this not as a politician or an economist, but as a Filipino business owner.

Honestly, it is becoming harder and harder to keep a business alive in the Philippines.

We are told to be resilient—and yes, Filipinos are resilient. But resilience should not mean that businesses have to endlessly absorb rising costs just to survive.

Electricity keeps getting more expensive, including charges related to system losses. Fuel prices affect transportation, deliveries, supplies, and practically everything. Employee wages need to increase—and I fully support Filipino workers earning better—but businesses also need an environment where we can afford those increases sustainably.

Then there are taxes, permits, government contributions, compliance costs, and countless requirements.

We want to pay our taxes. We want to follow the law.

But sometimes, especially for small businesses, it feels like we're spending more time figuring out how to comply than figuring out how to grow.

And while legitimate businesses are struggling with increasing costs, we continue to see concerns surrounding illegal online gambling and other activities that can easily take money away from productive economic activities.

My question is simple:

How can we encourage Filipinos to become entrepreneurs if the cost of doing business keeps increasing?

We need businesses to survive because businesses create jobs.

When a business grows, employees grow.

When businesses hire, families earn.

When businesses earn, taxes are paid.

And when businesses succeed, communities benefit.

We are not asking for special treatment.

We are asking for a fair and sustainable environment where we can:

• Pay our employees better

• Pay our taxes

• Keep our businesses open

• Hire more Filipinos

• Invest and expand

• Compete fairly

• And contribute to our country's economy

Please don't just tell Filipino entrepreneurs to “be resilient.”

Help create an environment where we don't need extraordinary resilience just to survive.

We don't want to leave the Philippines.

We want to build here.

We want to create jobs here.

We want to grow here.

And we want the Philippines to grow with us.

— Oshwald Carbonell

Filipino Entrepreneur & Business Owner from scratch.