WHEREAS, Act 3883 (Business Name Law) as amended, mandates the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to regulate the registration and use in business transactions of names other than true names, prescribes the duties of the Director of Bureau of Commerce (now Bureau of Trade Regulation and Consumer Protection) in its enforcement, and provides penalties for its violation, among others;

WHEREAS, Executive Order No. 428 issued on 18 May 2005, directs departments, Bureaus, Offices and other Agencies in the Executive Branch, including Government-Owned and Controlled Corporations to simplify rules and regulations and reduce reportorial requirements to facilitate doing business and encourage more investments in the country;

WHEREAS, Executive Order No. 557 issued on 08 August 2006, establishes an Anti-Red Tape Task Force chaired by the DTI Secretary, aimed to streamline government processes and reduce the cost of doing business in the Philippines;

WHEREAS, in consonance with the objectives of Executive Order Nos. 428 and 557, there is a need to simplify the process and documentary requirements set forth in Department of Trade Administrative Order (DTAO) No. 80, series of 1982, implementing Act 3883 as amended;

NOW, THEREFORE, IN VIEW OF FOREGOING, the following ORDER is hereby prescribed and promulgated for the information, guidance and compliance of all concerned:

SECTION 1. Section 6 (a), Rule II of DTAO No. 80 series of 1982 as amended by Sec. 3 of DAO No. 15 series of 1990 requiring the submission of two (2) passport-size pictures of the applicant is hereby deleted.

SECTION 2. Section 12 of DTAO No. 80 series of 1982 as amended by Section 5 of DAO 15 series of 1990 is hereby further amended, to read as follows:

“Any person, whether natural or juridical, whose firm name or business name had expired and failed to renew the same within six months from its expiration date, shall automatically be cancelled from the record.”

SECTION 3. This Order shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in two (2)  newspapers of general circulation.

Adopted: 4 Dec. 2006