22 November 2021 
PRESS RELEASE  

PCC opens first investigation station in North Luzon 

The Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) is expanding its operations across the country with the opening of its first investigation station (i-Station) in Baguio City.

The Commission approved the establishment of four temporary i-Stations across the country, namely Baguio City in North Luzon, Legazpi City in South Luzon, Cebu City in the Visayas, and Davao City in Mindanao. These will establish PCC’s presence outside Metro Manila and bring services closer to its stakeholders and the consumers in the regions.

On November 8, PCC opened its inaugural i-Station at the University of the Philippines (UP) Baguio. Later this year, the agency will also sign a memorandum of agreement with the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Regional Office in Legazpi City for the South Luzon office. The Visayas and Mindanao i-Stations are set to open in 2022.

The i-Stations are meant to help PCC in fulfilling its enforcement of the Philippine Competition Act in the designated locations by providing ease of access to regional government agencies and their respective communities. 

“PCC is committed to level the playing field in businesses not only in the capital but also in the various geographic markets across the country. The opening of i-Stations is aimed to strengthen enforcement against cartels and anti-competitive practices and fast-track recovery for local economies,” said PCC Chairperson Arsenio M. Balisacan. 

The i-Stations will primarily serve as temporary PCC workstations to facilitate the conduct of investigation work, field missions, surveillance, interviews, and market monitoring until the launch of permanent regional offices in the future.

These will also help PCC in collaborating with other government agencies and the private sector for activities such as competition-related research, advocacy, and capacity-building programs. Likewise, the i-Stations will facilitate the PCC’s preparation and implementation of activities under the NEDA-PCC Joint Memorandum Circular on National Competition Policy.

Since 2017, PCC has been conducting regional roadshows annually to boost public awareness of competition law and policy. These programs are held in collaboration with the regional offices of NEDA and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). This year, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the regional roadshows were held virtually and organized for audiences from the Cordillera Administrative Region, Cagayan Valley, CALABARZON, Central Luzon, Eastern Visayas, and Zamboanga Peninsula.

“The opening of i-Stations is only the beginning of PCC’s ambition of establishing regional offices in the future. We are excited to strengthen our presence in North and South Luzon this year and in the Visayas and Mindanao in the coming year,” said Balisacan. 

###

Link: https://www.phcc.gov.ph/press-releases/istation-baguio/