First PCC i-station opens in Baguio City

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) has opened its first investigation station (i-Station) in Baguio City in line with efforts to bring its services closer to stakeholders outside Metro Manila.

In a statement Monday, the antitrust body said it opened the i-Station at the University of the Philippines Baguio last Nov. 8.

“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,” PCC chairperson Arsenio Balisacan said.

The i-Station in Baguio in North Luzon is the first of the four approved by the PCC to expand its presence and better serve those in the regions.

PCC is set to sign a memorandum of agreement with the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) regional office in Legazpi City for the South Luzon office later this year.

Meanwhile, i-Stations in Cebu City in the Visayas and Davao City in Mindanao will open next year.

The i-Stations will serve as temporary PCC workstations for the conduct of investigation work, field missions, surveillance, interviews, and market monitoring until permanent regional offices are set up in the future.

The i-Stations are also expected to help PCC in its work with other government agencies and the private sector on competition-related research, advocacy and capacity-building programs.

In addition, the i-Stations will help in the preparation and implementation of the antitrust body’s activities under the NEDA-PCC Joint Memorandum Circular on National Competition Policy.

Since 2017, PCC has been conducting regional roadshows in collaboration with the NEDA and Department of Trade and Industry regional offices to raise public awareness on competition law and policy.

Due to the pandemic, this year’s regional roadshows were held virtually for those in 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,” Balisacan said.