SEC Bacolod created through legislation

BACOLOD City – The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) registration in Bacolod City is the SEC office in the country created by legislation.

According to Gerardo del Rosario, director of SEC Company Registration and Monitoring Department, the Bacolod SEC office is the only SEC local office in the country created by legislation and credits are given to then Rep. Evelio ‘Bing’ Leonardia.”

Del Rosario added that the SEC will officially open its permanent office in Bacolod City on Nov. 23, 2018.

On his part, Leonardia explained that, “This was conceptualized to serve our corporate and business sectors and create a climate conducive for business to grow. It is also aimed to improve the ease of doing business in Bacolod and Negros Island. And eventually it will provide inclusive growth.

Del Rosario was here recently and led the delegation, composed of Human Resource and Administrative Department Director Romuald Padilla, training officer Diana Elvina Cortes, and legal counsel Ma. Cristina Montelibano, that visited the Bacolod City Government Center recently to formally announce the SEC Bacolod opening.

Leonardia’s bill was passed into law in the 16th Congress as Republic Act No. 10785, otherwise known as “SEC Bacolod Office Law.”

“This means that no matter who will run the SEC, the Bacolod office is here to stay as a permanent office. This will not be subjected to administrative policy changes. Its existence will even be more stable than any other field office in the country,” Leonardia said.

He added that a SEC office in Bacolod will further boost the “business-friendly policies” of the administration, which has been consistently recognized by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) as among the top finalists in its “Most Business-Friendly” annual national contests.

The creation of a SEC office in Bacolod is one of the legislative moves of Leonardia to help boost the local growth and development. Among his measures were to seek the establishment of Bacolod local offices for the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), Department of Tourism (DoT), and Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and others.