Groups vow to promote culture of competition

CEBU, Philippines — At least 12 groups composed of business organizations, trade associations, and cooperatives in Cebu have pledged their support to the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) to help promote a culture of competition in the country.

The Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, PhilExportCebu, and Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry-Visayas, among others, took the Competition Advocacy Pledge (CAP) during a roundtable discussion held in Mandaue City on June 19, 2024.

“This is just the start of our hopefully long journey together as stalwarts of fair market competition,” PCC Communications and Knowledge Management Office Assistant Director Ferdinand L. Paguia told attendees who participated in the roundtable.

In taking the pledge, leading business organizations vowed to uphold the principles and provisions of the Philippine Competition Act (PCA), support business practices consistent with the pillars of competition, collaborate with the PCC on advocacy initiatives, stay informed about the Philippines' competition landscape, and expand the network of competition advocates.

The full list of organizations that took the pledge last June 19, 2024 include the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry(CCCI), PhilExport-Cebu, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry-Visayas (PCCI-Visayas), Cebu People’s Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Central Visayas Multi-Purpose Agricultural Cooperative, Legal Alternatives for Women Center, Inc., El Pardo Transport Cooperation, CVCCO Multipurpose Cooperative, Integrated Bar of the Philippines—Cebu City Chapter, as well as individual pledgers members of Saint Vincent de Paul Multipurpose Cooperative, University of San Carlos and Community Multipurpose Cooperative, and Oud Cebu Agriculture Cooperative.

Capacity Building and Advocacy Division Chief Inah Geneve T. Mangilin explained that CAP is one of the component projects of the PCC’s Champions of Competition Program, for which the PCC is seeking competition advocates from the private sector.

“Pledges can be made by individuals in their private capacity, or by groups, companies, and organizations through their official representatives,” Mangilin said.

Representatives of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Philippine Retailers Association, Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines, and Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines were the first to take the pledge when the project was launched in Manila in November 2023.

During the roundtable discussion in Cebu, Atty. Princess Emeresa A. Naga of the PCC Enforcement Office presented an overview of the PCA, including a background on creating the PCC.

The PCC is a quasi-judicial agency mandated to implement the PCA, which prohibits anti-competitive agreements, abuse of dominance, and anti-competitive mergers and acquisitions, thereby ensuring that businesses compete and consumers benefit.