The Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) said it has entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCCS) to strengthen ties between the two authorities.
In a virtual ceremony, PCC Chairman Arsenio M. Balisacan signed the agreement with CCCS Chief Executive Aik Kor Sia, which seeks to conduct capacity-building exercises, staff training, market research collaborations and other joint activities.
The PCC said the MOU also provides a mechanism for both authorities to notify each other of anti-competitive cases of mutual interest, exchange information, and coordinate in the conduct of enforcement activities affecting both agencies.
“In the face of evolving challenges arising from the pandemic and the eventual road to recovery, we look at international cooperation as a critical leverage in pursuing effective cross-border competition enforcement and advocacy. This partnership is deemed most valuable as we foster fair competition in our respective jurisdictions,” Balisacan said.
“Prior to the MOU, PCC and CCCS have worked together on several advocacy and enforcement fronts. Through this partnership, we aim to deepen the gains of our previous engagements and institutionalize our avenues for cooperation on matters of shared interest,” Balisacan added.
The PCC said it has previously collaborated with CCCS on dialogues and cases of common interest, including the Grab-Uber case in 2018 and the use of competition lenses in digital markets.
“Both agencies have also accommodated staff exchanges and participated in advocacy events, including the headlining of CCCS executives at PCC’s Manila Forum on Competition in Developing Countries and its competition panel at the recent Philippine Economics Society Conference,” it said.
“Both agencies have also actively pursued opportunities for international cooperation in the Asean Experts Group on Competition and the International Competition Network. As host for this year’s East Asia Conference on Competition Law and Policy, Singapore also turned over the hosting duties to the Philippines next year,” it added.
The partnership is PCC’s 3rd with an international counterpart, although its ties with Singapore’s competition authority started in 2016.
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