About SEC

The SEC was established on October 26, 1936, by virtue of Commonwealth Act No. 83, or the Securities Act, in order to safeguard public interest in view of the local stock market boom at the time. It was created just two years after the United States Congress created the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

The Commission’s operations formally began on November 11, 1936, with Ricardo Nepumoceno serving as its first commissioner. Its functions then largely revolved around the registration of securities, analysis of every registered security, evaluation of the financial condition and operations of applicants for security issuances, screening of applications for broker’s or dealer’s license, and supervision of stock and bond brokers, and stock exchanges.

The SEC was abolished during the Japanese occupation and was replaced with the Philippine Executive Commission. It was reactivated later in 1947 with the restoration of the Commonwealth Government.

Due to the changes in the business environment, then President Ferdinand E. Marcos reorganized the SEC on September 29, 1975. Under Presidential Decree No. 902-A, the Commission shall have absolute jurisdiction, supervision and control over all corporations, partnerships or associations, who are the grantees of primary franchise and/or a license or permit issued by the government to operate.

In 1981, the SEC was expanded with two additional commissioners and two departments–one for prosecution and enforcement, and another for supervision and monitoring.

In 2000, the SEC was reorganized, as Republic Act (RA) No. 8799, or the Securities Regulation Code, gave greater focus on the Commission’s role in developing the capital market, fostering good corporate governance and enhancing investor protection.

Meanwhile, the Commission’s mandate to champion the corporate sector received a great boost from Republic Act No. 11232, or the Revised Corporation Code. President Rodrigo Roa Duterte signed the revision of the almost four-decade-old Batas Pambansa Blg. 68 on February 21, 2019, as part of his legislative priorities and 10-point economic agenda, specifically on increasing the economy’s competitiveness, and improving the ease of doing business in the country.