A bar or videoke plan has to satisfy the health office and the neighbours. Bacolod's published list for bars asks for a sanitary permit, updated health certificates for all employees and a water certificate or current water bill, and health certificates are renewed at least yearly. Liquor and noise rules are set locally, so the plan lists questions for city hall. DTI and BIR fees are filled in; everything else is a blank.[3,4]
Executive summary
Example: [Bar name] will be a [number]-table bar with [number] videoke rooms at [address], [city], open [days] from [time] to [time]. It will serve beer, cocktails and pulutan from a small kitchen. Owner: [name], sole proprietor. Target guests: [office workers after work, barkadas on weekends, birthday groups].
Capital: ₱____ for fit-out, soundproofing, videoke systems, bar equipment, kitchen, furniture and permits. Owner ₱____; loan ₱____.
Location, sound and the neighbours
Location decides whether a bar survives its first barangay complaint. Before signing a lease, ask the barangay and city hall: is the area zoned for a bar, what are the allowed hours, and is there a noise ordinance? Write the answers and the date in your plan.
Price soundproofing for videoke rooms as its own line. Note parking, the distance to houses, schools and churches, and the route guests will take home late at night.
Guests and other bars
Fill in: Offices, dormitories and residential blocks within [distance]: [number]. People passing between [8pm and midnight] on [three nights, including a Friday]: [number]. We asked [number] people how often they go out and what they spend, in their own words.
Competitors: [bars, KTV chains, restobars] within [distance]. For each: hours, room rates or minimum spend, beer price by your visit on [date], and what makes them busy. Your angle: [cheaper rooms on weekdays, pulutan menu, events].
Running the bar
Staff. [Number] bartenders, servers, a cook and a security guard. Bacolod lists updated health certificates of all employees for bars, and the food establishment rules renew health certificates at least every year or as local ordinance requires. Put every staff member's renewal month on one sheet.[3,4]
Water. Bacolod also asks bars for a water certificate from the utility or a current water bill. Keep the latest bill on file for the health inspector.[3]
House rules. ID checks at the door, a written policy on refusing service to intoxicated guests, a closing routine, and a log of incidents. Ask the city what age and hours rules apply to serving alcohol, and write them into the staff manual.
Stock and cash. Beer and spirits from [distributor] on [terms], counted every night against sales. Room bookings logged by time slot.
Permits and registration costs
The sanitary permit fee is assessed by the city or town. Ask the business permits office whether it issues a separate liquor or late-hours permit and what it charges; those amounts are assessed by the city.[4]
Financial plan
Start-up. Fit-out and soundproofing ₱____; videoke systems [number] × ₱____; bar counter and refrigeration ₱____; kitchen ₱____; furniture ₱____; signage ₱____; opening stock ₱____; DTI name ₱500 plus ₱30 stamp tax; barangay clearance ₱____; mayor's permit ₱____; sanitary permit ₱____; liquor permit ₱____ if any; health certificates ₱____ × [staff]; reserve ₱____.[1]
Monthly. Rent ₱____; wages ₱____; security ₱____; power ₱____ (air-conditioning and sound); stock ____% of sales; music licensing ₱____ if required; repairs ₱____.
Sales. Two streams: drinks and food (tables [number] × turns × average check ₱____) and rooms (rooms × hours booked × rate ₱____). Show weekday and weekend separately.
Risks
Noise complaints. Soundproofing and closing hours that match the ordinance. Fights or incidents. Security guard, ID checks, incident log. Staff theft. Nightly stock count against the POS. Permit issues. Ask city hall about every local rule before opening, not after.
Permit and registration costs: bar and videoke
| Registration or permit | Office | Fee | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| DTI business name (sole proprietor) | DTI | ₱200–₱2,000 by scope, city scope for one bar | DTI BNRS FAQ |
| Documentary stamp tax on DTI fee | DTI | ₱30 | DTI BNRS FAQ |
| Barangay business clearance | Barangay hall | Set by the barangay | Ask the barangay |
| Mayor's permit and city fees | City or municipal hall | Assessed by the city | Ask the BPLO |
| BIR registration (Annual Registration Fee) | BIR | ₱0, not collected since 22 Jan 2024 | BIR RMC 14-2024 |
| Sanitary permit to operate | City health office | Set by city ordinance | Bacolod requirements list |
| Health certificates, all employees, renewed yearly | City health office | Set by the LGU | Bacolod list; PD 856 food IRR |
| Water certificate or current water bill (Bacolod) | Water utility | Not a fee: a document | Bacolod requirements list |
| Liquor or late-hours permit, if your city issues one | City or municipal hall | Assessed by the city | Ask the BPLO |
Questions people ask
- What permits does a bar need?
- Beyond DTI, barangay, mayor's permit and BIR, expect a sanitary permit and staff health certificates; Bacolod's list for bars also asks for a water certificate or current water bill. Ask your city about liquor and hours permits.
- How often do bar staff renew health certificates?
- At least every year, or more often if your local ordinance says so.
- Where do I find the noise rules for a videoke bar?
- They are set locally. Ask the barangay and the city's business permits office, and write their answer into your plan.
Sources
Checked 14 November 2026. We link the agency's own page for every requirement. Rules change; confirm with the office before you pay.
- Frequently Asked Questions · DTI Business Name Registration System
- Digest of Revenue Memorandum Circular No. 14-2024 · Bureau of Internal Revenue · 24 January 2024
- Sanitary and Non-Sanitary (requirements list) · Bacolod City Government
- Implementing Rules and Regulations of Chapter III, Food Establishments, of P.D. No. 856 · Department of Health (text via Supreme Court E-Library) · 29 December 1995