Mergers And Acquisitions

Section 16. Review of Mergers and Acquisitions

The Commission shall have the power to review mergers and acquisitions based on factors deemed relevant by the Commission.

Section 17. Compulsory Notification

Parties to the merger or acquisition agreement referred to in the preceding section wherein the value of the transaction exceeds 1 billion pesos are prohibited from consummating their agreement until 30 days after providing notification to the Commission in the form and containing the information specified in the regulations issued by the Commission as long as the Commission shall promulgate other criteria, such as increased market share in the relevant market in excess of minimum thresholds, that may be applied specifically to a sector, or across some or all sectors, in determining whether parties to a merger or acquisition shall notify the Commission under this Chapter.

An agreement consummated in violation of this requirement to notify the Commission shall be considered void and subject the parties to an administrative fine of one percent (1%) to five percent (5%) of the value of the transaction.

Should the Commission deem it necessary, it may request further information that are reasonably necessary and directly relevant to the prohibition under Section 20 hereof from the parties to the agreement before the expiration of the thirty (30)-day period referred. The issuance of such a request has the effect of extending the period within which the agreement may not be consummated for an additional sixty (60) days, beginning on the day after the request for information is received by the parties: Provided, That, in no case shall the total period for review by the Commission of the subject agreement exceed ninety (90) days from initial notification by the parties.

When the above periods have expired and no decision has been promulgated for whatever reason, the merger or acquisition shall be deemed approved and the parties may proceed to implement or consummate it. All notices, documents and information provided to or emanating from the Commission under this section shall be subject to confidentiality rule under Section 34 of this Act except when the release of information contained therein is with the consent of the notifying entity or is mandatorily required to be disclosed by law or by a valid order of a court of competent jurisdiction, or of a government or regulatory agency, including an exchange.

In the case of the merger or acquisition of banks, banking institutions, building and loan associations, trust companies, insurance companies, public utilities, educational institutions and other special corporations governed by special laws, a favorable or no-objection ruling by the Commission shall not be construed as dispensing of the requirement for a favorable recommendation by the appropriate government agency under Section 79 of the Corporation Code of the Philippines.

A favorable recommendation by a governmental agency with a competition mandate shall give rise to a disputable presumption that the proposed merger or acquisition is not violative of this Act.

Section 18. Effect of Notification. — If within the relevant periods stipulated in the preceding section, the Commission determines that such agreement is prohibited under Section 20 and does not qualify for exemption under Section 21 of this Chapter, the Commission may:

(a) Prohibit the implementation of the agreement;

(b) Prohibit the implementation of the agreement unless and until it is modified by changes specified by the Commission.

(c) Prohibit the implementation of the agreement unless and until the pertinent party or parties enter into legally enforceable agreements specified by the Commission.

Section 19. Notification Threshold

The Commission shall, from time to time, adopt and publish regulations stipulating:

(a) The transaction value threshold and such other criteria subject to the notification requirement of Section 17 of this Act;

(b) The information that must be supplied for notified merger or acquisition;

(c) Exceptions or exemptions from the notification requirement; and

(d) Other rules relating to the notification procedures.

Section 20. Prohibited Mergers and Acquisitions

Merger or acquisition agreements that substantially prevent, restrict or lessen competition in the relevant market or in the market for goods or services as may be determined by the Commission shall be prohibited.

Section 21. Exemptions from Prohibited Mergers and Acquisitions

Merger or acquisition agreement prohibited under Section 20 of this Chapter may, nonetheless, be exempt from prohibition by the Commission when the parties establish either of the following:

(a) The concentration has brought about or is likely to bring about gains in efficiencies that are greater than the effects of any limitation on competition that result or likely to result from the merger or acquisition agreement; or

(b) A party to the merger or acquisition agreement is faced with actual or imminent financial failure, and the agreement represents the least anti-competitive arrangement among the known alternative uses for the failing entity’s assets:

Provided, That an entity shall not be prohibited from continuing to own and hold the stock or other share capital or assets of another corporation which it acquired prior to the approval of this Act or acquiring or maintaining its market share in a relevant market through such means without violating the provisions of this Act:

Provided, further, That the acquisition of the stock or other share capital of one or more corporations solely for investment and not used for voting or exercising control and not to otherwise bring about, or attempt to bring about the prevention, restriction, or lessening of competition in the relevant market shall not be prohibited.

Section 22. Burden of Proof

The burden of proof under Section 21 lies with the parties seeking the exemption. A party seeking to rely on the exemption specified in Section 21(a) must demonstrate that if the agreement were not implemented, significant efficiency gains would not be realized.

Section 23. Finality of Ridings on Mergers and Acquisitions

Merger or acquisition agreements that have received a favorable ruling from the Commission, except when such ruling was obtained on the basis of fraud or false material information, may not be challenged under this Act.