EXHIBIT ABOUT THE PH COMPETITION ACT. Faculty members from the College of Arts and Sciences (Departments of Economics, International Studies/Political Science/History, and Sociology-Anthropology) together with Xavier Ateneo president Fr Roberto C Yap SJ, Philippine Competition Commission executive director Dr Kenneth V Tanate, and National Economic and Development Authority - Region 10 director Leon Dacanay, pose for a group photo after the opening of the exhibit on Philippine Competition Act. Supplied photo.
By Jhon Louie B Sabal
The Philippine Competition Act (RA 10667) aims to promote and protect a fair market competition in the country. To this end, the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC), the implementing body of the said law, partnered with Xavier University - Ateneo de Cagayan in disseminating about PCC's roles and functions as an anti-trust agency.
An info-exhibit was recently unveiled at the atrium of the Magis Student Complex, led by PCC executive director Dr Kenneth V Tanate, NEDA-X regional director Dr Leon M Dacanay Jr, Xavier Ateneo president Fr Roberto C Yap SJ, and XU College of Arts and Science dean Dr Juliet Q Dalagan.
Following the exhibit was a forum on the implementing rules and regulations of the Competition Act at the Lim Ket Kai Luxe Hotel. Several practitioners in the fields of economics and business were present in the discussion.
In his message, Yap, an economist, emphasized the importance of competition in the marketplace.
“Because of competition, we experience cheaper prices, high-quality products, and more choices,” he said.
Executive officers of the PCC namely, Kenneth Amadeus D Libre (economist, PCC Economics Office), Atty Ferdinand B Redulla (director, Competition Enforcement Office), Jason Joseph L Virtucio (staff, Competition Enforcement Office), and Atty Kristal Lyn T Uy (director, Mergers and Acquisition Office), discussed the benefits of competition and the scope, powers, and limitations of the competition law in various industries.
PARTNER UNIVERSITY. Xavier Ateneo president Fr Roberto C Yapo SJ (second from right) receives the plaque of recognition acknowledging the university as the official partner of the Philippine Competition Commission in Region 10 (Northern Mindanao). Supplied photo.
Dr Catherine Roween C Almaden, assistant professor from XU Department of Economics, raised at the plenary the price-fixing scheme and presence of monopoly in the energy sector.
“How can the commission address the price-fixing issues in the power sector, which made the Philippines the second highest in prices for power utilities in the Southeast Asian Region?” Almaden asked, adding, “There are more diverse sources of energy and an increase in the number of independent power producers in Mindanao, which increased the volume of energy supply and yet prices remained very high.”
PCC's Tanate clarified the limited role of the PCC on the issue on energy regulation since there is already an existing Energy Regulatory Board to deal with that matter.
Participants also raised concerns on the effectiveness of the scope of the PCC in ensuring fair market competition in the Philippines. They said that the most notable friction to dismantling monopoly in our country is not the absence of competition but the stringent regulations and requirements that hinder new and promising entrants to participate in an industry.
The participants also noted that the process of doing business in the country remains wanting and unwelcoming to new players to which PCC recognized that inclusive and business-friendly measures must be in place to address these concerns.∎