The Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) has announced it will exempt public-private partnership (PPP) joint ventures from merger notification rules if they operate in disadvantaged areas or involve priority infrastructure projects, according to BusinessWorld.
The exemption covers PPP joint ventures located in areas classified as disadvantaged, as well as those building priority infrastructure items such as data transmission networks and regional airports. The PCC cited the need to better align competition policies with national development needs in issuing the draft policy.
The move is expected to encourage investment in underserved regions and critical infrastructure, reducing regulatory barriers while maintaining competition oversight for other mergers. The PCC is seeking public comments on the draft before finalizing the exemption.