The Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Malaysia Competition Commission (MyCC) during the MyCC Competition Summit 2025, in a panel held on October 30 in Kuala Lumpur, underscoring environmental, social, and governance (ESG) in merger control and affirming its commitment to regional cooperation and sustainable competition policy.
The MOU, signed by MyCC Chairperson Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Idrus Harun and PCC Chairperson Michael Aguinaldo, aims to strengthen cross-border cooperation, information exchange, and capacity-building in advancing regional competition governance. The agreement reflects both agencies’ commitment to curbing anti-competitive practices such as bid-rigging and promoting transparent, competitive markets.
In a panel titled “From Boardroom to Marketplace: Embedding Governance in ESG into the Merger Control Regime,” Aguinaldo emphasized that competition policy must serve the public interest and cannot be analyzed in isolation. “Competition and ESG are not strictly competing policy objectives. In many cases, they complement one another and the joint pursuit of both can result in outcomes that are equally economically efficient and environmentally sound,” he said.
Aguinaldo cited PCC’s merger reviews in sectors such as tobacco, genetically modified crops, renewable energy, and digital payments, as well as transactions involving ride-hailing, energy infrastructure, e-payment platforms, and multi-bank clearing systems. These cases demonstrate how competition enforcement can align with public health, environmental sustainability, consumer protection, and good governance. He also highlighted PCC’s legislative advocacy, including support for electric vehicle adoption and the clean energy transition. “Ultimately, the primary objective of any competition law is to generate outcomes that serve people,” Aguinaldo added.
PCC’s participation in the summit underscores its role as a regional partner and thought leader in advancing competition policy that supports good governance, consumer welfare, and sustainable development.
