PRESS RELEASE
30 September 2026

PCC reinstates mandatory 30-day filing timeline for mergers and acquisitions

Effective October 3, 2026, entities executing definitive agreements for mergers and acquisitions must notify the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) within 30 calendar days of signing, and before consummating the transaction. PCC Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 26-004 re-establishes standard regulatory deadlines under Section 3.1 of the PCC Merger Rules of Procedure.

Parties whose definitive agreements were signed prior to October 3, 2026, and any acts of consummation will have 90 calendar days to submit their notification forms.

The Commission also confirmed that the PCC Rules on Expedited Merger Review will remain suspended while the agency conducts a broader review of its procedural framework.

Re-establishing firm submission deadlines reinforces the Commission’s core regulatory duty to safeguard competitive market structures. Early notification allows the antitrust authority to thoroughly analyze proposed transactions, protect competitive market dynamics, and prevent market consolidation that could harm consumer welfare.

The specific guidelines under MC No. 26-004 are available at https://bit.ly/PCC-MC-Resumption-of-the-30-day-Notification-Period

###

REFERENCE:  
publicaffairs@phcc.gov.ph  
Public Affairs and Research Division
Communications and Knowledge Management Office
Philippine Competition Commission