The Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) is taking more of its legal processes online, a move that could shorten procedural delays in competition investigations and merger reviews as cases become more complex and time-sensitive.
Beginning Oct. 3, parties in PCC proceedings must electronically submit official filings through designated online facilities and email channels under Commission Resolution No. 11-2026 and Memorandum Circular No. 26-003.
Physical copies will still be required within prescribed periods, meaning the reforms do not fully eliminate paper-based compliance. Instead, the new rules establish standardized requirements for electronic filing, document formats and verification.
The shift could have wider implications for competition enforcement, where delays can matter in fast-moving markets. Faster exchanges of pleadings and evidence could allow the PCC to move investigations forward while market conditions remain relatively stable.
The rules also formalize videoconferencing as an alternative to in-person proceedings. The PCC may initiate virtual proceedings or approve them at a party’s request, with its Competition Enforcement Office and Mergers and Acquisitions Office (MAO) allowed to observe.
PCC offices may conduct interviews and meetings through Microsoft Teams or equivalent platforms. Parties can also seek online pre-notification consultations with the MAO, potentially reducing the need for businesses and counsel to travel to Manila. The rules, however, prohibit artificial intelligence accounts from representing participants in such meetings.
Beyond convenience, the digital framework could reduce compliance costs and improve access for businesses outside Metro Manila. Its practical impact will depend on how smoothly the new electronic procedures work alongside existing requirements for physical submissions.
For the PCC, the broader objective is to make enforcement under the Philippine Competition Act faster and more accessible without sacrificing procedural safeguards—particularly as regulators confront increasingly complex transactions and potentially anti-competitive conduct.
