INTRODUCTION
Foreign Investment Act of 1991
- The basic law that governs foreign investments in the Philippines. It is considered a landmark
legislation because it liberalized the entry of foreign investments into the country 1
- Foreign investors are generally treated like their domestic counterparts and must register with
SEC of with the Bureau of Trade Regulation and Consumer Protection (BTRCP)
Terms to note:
Investment – equity participation in any enterprise organized or existing under the laws of
the Philippines
Foreign investment – a equity investment made by non-Philippine National in the form of
foreign exchange and/or other assets actually transferred to the Philippines and duly
registered with the Central bank
SCOPE
Philippine National (section 3a) –
Citizen of the Philippines
A domestic partnership or association wholly-owned by citizens of the Philippines
Corporation organized under the laws of the Philippines of which at least 60% of the capital
stock outstanding and entitled to vote is owned and held by citizens of the Philippines
Corporation organized abroad and registered as doing business in the Philippines under the
Corporation Code of which 100% of the capital stock outstanding and entitled to vote is
wholly owned by Filipinos
A trustee of funds for pension or other employee retirement or separation benefits, where
the trustee is a Philippine National and at least 60% of the funds will accrue to the benefit of
Philippine Nationals
Non-Philippine National
Those not falling within the definition of “Philippine National” under Section 3a of the Act
Key Features
1. CONCEPT OF NEGATIVE LIST
a. Negative List (section 3g) – a list of economic activity whose foreign ownership is
limited to a maximum 40% of the equity capital of the enterprises engaged in
b. Section 8 - List of Investment Areas Reserved to Philippine Nationals
i. List A shall enumerate the areas of activities reserved to Philippine Nationals
by mandate of the Constitution and specific laws
ii. List B shall contain the areas of activities and enterprises regulated pursuant
to law:
1. Defense related activities, requiring prior clearance from the DND
1
Boiown.gov.ph/db-main-final/foreign-investments
2. Those which have implications on public health and morals
3. Small and medium sized domestic market enterprises with paid-in
equity capital less than the equivalent OF 200t dollars are reserved
to Philippine Nationals
a. Except if they involve advanced technology (determined by
DOST); or
b. Employ at least 50 direct employees, then a minimum paid-
in capital of 100T dollars shall be allowed to non-Philippine
Nationals
2. OPENED DOMESTIC MARKET TO 100% FOREIGN INVESTMENT
o Domestic enterprise (section 3 f) – an enterprise which produces goods for sale, or
renders services to the domestic market entirely or if exporting a portion of its
output fails to consistency export at least 60% thereof
o Section 7 – Non-Philippine Nationals may own up to 100% of domestic market
enterprises unless foreign ownership therein is prohibited or limited by the
Constitution and existing law or the FINL
o Section 5, sentence 2 – the SEC or BTRCP, as the case may be, shall not impose any
limitations on the extent of foreign ownership in an enterprise additional to those
provided in this Act
3. REDEFINED “EXPORT ENTERPRISE”
o Export enterprise (section 3e) –
an enterprise wherein a manufacturer, processor or service enterprise
exports 60% or more of its output; or,
wherein a trader purchase products domestically and exports 60% or more
of such purchases
o Section 6 –
Foreign investments in export enterprises whose products and services do
not fall within List A and B of the FINL is:
Allowed up to 100% ownership
If non-Philippine nationals:
o Register with BOI and submit the reports that may be
required to ensure continuing compliance of the export
enterprise that fails to meet the export ration requirement
o The SEC or BTRCP shall then order the noncomplying export
enterprise to reduce its sales to the domestic market to not
more than 40% of its total production
Failure to comply without justifiable reason shall
subject the enterprise to cancellation of registration
DOING BUSINESS (section 3d)
Soliciting orders, service contracts, opening offices whether called “liaison” offices or
branches
Appointing representatives or distributors domiciled in the Philippines or for a period or
periods totalling to 180 days or more;
Participating in the management, supervision or control of any domestic business, firm,
entity or corporation in the Philippines;
Any other acts that imply a continuity of commercial dealings or arrangements and
contemplate to that extent the performance of acts or works
What are not included?
Mere investment as a shareholder by a foreign entity in domestic corporations duly
registered to do business
The exercise of rights as such investor
Having a nominee director or officer to represent its interests in such corporation
Appointing a representative or distributor domiciled in the Philippines which transacts
business in its own name and for its own account
REGISTRATION OF INVESTMENTS OF NON-PHILIPPINE NATIONAL
A qualified non-Philippine National may do business in the country in accordance with
section 3(d) of the Act;
Those seeking to avail of incentive under Omnibus Investment Code of 1987 must apply for
registration with the Board of Investments (BOI)
o The BOI will then process such application for registration in accordance with the
criteria for evaluation
Those non-Philippine National intending to engage in the same line of business as an existing
joint venture in which he/his majority shareholder is a substantial partner must disclose such
fact in his application for registration
o This will be disallowed if the existing joint venture enterprise, particularly the
Filipino partners therein, can reasonably prove they are capable to make the
investment needed for the domestic market activities to be undertaken by the
competing applicant
SEC shall effect registration of any enterprise applying within 15 days upon submission of
completed requirements
EQUAL INVESTMENT RIGHTS OF FORMER PHILIPPINE CITIZENS
Section 9 –
o But this is mainly applicable to former Philippine citizens in:
Rural banks (under RA 7353)
Cooperatives (under RA 6938)
Thrift banks and Private Development Banks (under 7906)
Financing companies
o These rights shall not extend to activities reserved by the Constitution, including:
Exercise of profession
Defense-related activities
Activities under Retail trade Act, Security Agency Act, Small Scale Mining Act,
Rice and Corn Industry Act and Cockpits Operation and Management
Section 10 - right to be transferees of private land
o Based on section 10 of FIA, former PH citizens (but naturally born) may be a
transferee of a private land up to a maximum area of 5,000 square meters in the
case of urban land OR 3 hectares in the case of rural land to be used in business or
other purposes
o In case of married couples, one of them may avail such privilege
o If both shall avail, the total area acquired shall not exceed the maximum herein fixed
o In case the transferee already owns urban or rural land for business or other
purposes, he shall still be entitled to be a transferee of additional land which when
added to those already owned shall not exceed the maximum herein prescribed
o A transferee under this Act shall not acquire more than 2 lots which should be
situated in different municipalities or cities anywhere in the Philippines
