Eastern Visayas map. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
PALO, Leyte — The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has officially opened its extension office in Eastern Visayas on Thursday, May 11.
The SEC office is located inside the regional office of the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) at the Government Center in Palo town.
SEC Chairman Emilio Aquino said that the setting up of the SEC-Tacloban extension office was done upon the recommendation of House Speaker Martin Romualdez aside from a resolution endorsed by the Regional Development Council in 2021.
As early as 1983, there was already a move to have a SEC office in Eastern Visayas but the plan did not materialize.
Aquino said it is about time to have an extension office in Eastern Visayas, considering the improving economic condition of the region.
“Today, we are not only celebrating the inauguration of the SEC Tacloban extension office but also ushering in an even more conducive and more robust environment for business and investment in Eastern Visayas,” he said in his speech.
“(The office) will serve as a gateway to doing business in Eastern Visayas,” he added.
Based on their record, there are about 10,456 corporations from the region that are registered at their office.
With the establishment of their extension office, there is now no need for those who want to avail of their services to go to Manila or Cebu, Aquino said.
The SEC-Tacloban office is the 10th extension office of SEC in the country, and fourth in the Visayas.
Leyte Gov. Carlos Jericho Petilla expressed his gratitude to SEC for putting up their own regional extension office which is headed by lawyer Desiree Cuenco.
“SEC is most welcome here,” he said.
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