SEC named ‘Paper-less Champion’ for digital initiatives

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has been named the “Paper-less Champion” by the Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP) for eliminating nearly 217 million pages of paper through its digital platforms for company registration and report submission.

The SEC prevailed over more than 40 public institutions — including the Philippine Statistics Authority and the Department of the Interior and Local Government, both recognized as finalists — during the Productivity Challenge 2025 awarding ceremony held on Nov. 11 at Luxent Hotel in Quezon City.

The Productivity Challenge 2025 urges public offices, including state universities and government-owned or -controlled corporations, to reduce paper use by reviewing operational policies and systems.

“The SEC is honored to be recognized for its digital and sustainability initiatives, which are envisioned to serve as a model not only for the corporate sector but also for the broader government,” SEC Chairperson Francis Lim said.

He said these efforts aim to inspire other agencies to support the Marcos administration’s broader climate action agenda.

“Through our digital services, we are not only making it easier for businesses to do business in the Philippines,” Lim added.

He said the Commission is empowering entrepreneurs to integrate sustainability into their operations through paperless submission of annual reports and company registration.

The SEC Electronic Filing and Submission Tool (eFAST), launched in 2021, enables the online filing of audited financial statements, general information sheets, and other annual reports.

In 2024 alone, eFAST processed more than 577,000 submissions, equivalent to about 216.6 million pages saved and roughly PHP 92.6 million in cost savings for corporations.

In July 2024, the SEC launched SEC Zuper Easy Registration Online (SEC ZERO), a fully digital, paperless company registration system.

SEC ZERO, developed under the Electronic Simplified Processing Application for Registration of Company (eSPARC), eliminates the need for wet signatures, notarization, and hard-copy submissions by enabling digital authentication.

Between July 2024 and June 2025, SEC ZERO processed nearly 7,000 applications, saving an estimated 104,000 pages and generating around PHP 45,000 in savings for businesses.

“We will continue to reassess our practices and systems to see how we can further improve our services and advance sustainability within and beyond our offices,” Lim said.

The SEC’s digital transformation supports the government’s push to modernize the bureaucracy, strengthen sustainable governance, and improve ease of doing business.