Makati City, Philippines—The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) of the Philippines has officially mandated a fully online and paperless company registration process, eliminating the long-standing requirement for physical signatures, notarization, and submission of hard copy documents. This significant leap towards digitalization is enforced by SEC Memorandum Circular No. 3, Series of 2025, which was issued on April 4, 2025, with its mandatory use commencing on April 7, 2025, for most domestic stock corporations.
Under this new directive, companies are now required to use the SEC Zuper Easy Registration Online (SEC ZERO) application, accessible through the existing Electronic Simplified Processing of Application for Registration of Company (eSPARC) and One-Day Submission and E-Registration of Companies (OneSEC) portals. This system allows applicants to digitally authenticate system-generated forms via the Electronic Submission Authentication Portal (eSAP) platform, streamlining the entire registration journey.
SEC Chairperson Emilio B. Aquino emphasized the Commission's commitment to digital transformation and sustainability, stating that SEC ZERO "makes the process of setting up a business easier and faster than ever. By allowing companies to authenticate their registration documents online, company registration can now be completed anytime and anywhere."
Since its launch in July 2024 as part of the SEC's third phase of digital initiatives, SEC ZERO has already facilitated the registration of numerous companies. While initially mandatory for domestic stock corporations (including those with foreign equity, but excluding lending and financing companies), other business types like lending companies, financing companies, and foreign corporations will transition to mandatory use after a three-month period. This full digitalization is expected to enhance efficiency, reduce red tape, and significantly improve the ease of doing business in the Philippines.
