PRESS RELEASE
23 November 2023

PCC establishes Visayas presence with Cebu investigation station

The Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) is marking a milestone in the Visayas with the launch of the agency’s Cebu investigation station (i-Station), a move aimed at bolstering competition enforcement and advancing consumer welfare across the region.

The Cebu i-Station is dedicated to expediting market investigations and championing pro-competitive policies among local businesses, consumer groups, and other stakeholders in the Visayas.

“The establishment of the Cebu i-Station is a response to the increasing demand for enhanced competition law enforcement and advocacy in the Visayas, the most vibrant economy in central Philippines,” PCC Chairperson Michael G. Aguinaldo said.

As a major center for commerce, trade, and industry, the PCC’s i-Station is strategically positioned in Cebu to address cases and inquiries within the region. The Cebu i-Station, located on the sixth floor of the 2Quad Building in Cebu Business Park, began operations in July.

“Expanding the PCC’s presence throughout the country is crucial in fulfilling our mandate of safeguarding a competitive market landscape,” Aguinaldo said. “Filipinos deserve better products and services, lower prices, and a wider array of choices.”

The PCC opened its first i-Station in Baguio City in November 2021, followed by the one in Legazpi City in June 2022, and the most recent in Davao City in September this year.

To enhance public awareness of the Philippines’ competition law and policy, the PCC organized a coordination meeting with the Cebu City government and conducted media rounds among news organizations as part of the Cebu i-Station launch. This comes on the heels of the PCC’s successful hosting of the 31st ASEAN Experts Group on Competition Meetings and Related Meetings (AEGC Meetings) in Cebu in early October.

The PCC is a quasi-judicial agency mandated to implement the Philippine Competition Act, which prohibits anti-competitive agreements, abuses of dominant position, and anti-competitive mergers and acquisitions.

###

REFERENCE:
publicaffairs@phcc.gov.ph
PCC Public Affairs and Research Division

Link: https://www.phcc.gov.ph/press-releases/pcc-establishes-visayas-presence-with-cebu-investigation-station/