THE Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) have sealed a data sharing agreement (DSA) expected to strengthen market oversight, accelerate competition reviews and bolster investor confidence by improving access to critical corporate information.
Signed on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, by PCC Chairman Michael Aguinaldo and SEC Chairman Francisco Lim, the agreement streamlines the PCC’s access to corporate data held by the SEC that are essential to investigations of mergers and acquisitions and alleged anti-competitive conduct under the Philippine Competition Act.
“This agreement represents a shared commitment to safeguard competition and protect investors,” Aguinaldo said. “By working closely with the SEC, we can ensure that markets remain transparent, competitive and beneficial to consumers and businesses alike.”
The DSA builds on a memorandum of agreement signed by the two agencies in 2016 and formalizes protocols for on-site, online and off-site access to SEC records. It also embeds data privacy and security safeguards aligned with the Data Privacy Act of 2012, requiring both agencies to adopt strict confidentiality measures and appoint data protection officers.
SEC Director Oliver Chato and PCC Executive Director Kenneth Tanate served as witnesses to the signing and will act as designated data protection officers, tasked with overseeing compliance and ensuring that personal and sensitive corporate information is handled with high standards of security and accountability.
Under the agreement, the SEC will provide requested corporate data to the PCC within three working days. The PCC, in turn, commits to use the information solely for its lawful mandate and to inform the SEC of authorized personnel or data processors handling the shared data. The pact also sets procedures for data breach management, data retention and the secure disposal of personal information.
Valid for five years, the agreement underscores the role of inter-agency cooperation in strengthening competition enforcement, improving corporate transparency and advancing good governance across Philippine industries. / KOC