More forceful reforms in line at SEC – Lim

Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) chairperson Francis Lim is assuring investors of a steady business environment in the Philippines alongside a more forceful enforcement action to restore their confidence.

- By RICHMOND MERCURIO

Speaking to business leaders, representatives from chambers of commerce, industry associations and financial sector members at the Big Bold Reforms: The Philippines 2026 event last Friday, Lim said the Philippines remains a stable place to do business and the SEC is working every day to keep it that way.

“We are strengthening the fundamentals that businesses look for: clear rules, reliable processes and a fair playing field —so they can operate with greater speed, certainty and confidence,” he said.

Lim said while external and internal issues would arise in any economy, how firmly institutions respond by enforcing standards and making accountability real is what sustains confidence.

“That is the logic behind our reforms,” the SEC chair said.

“When business moves, the SEC must not be the hurdle. When markets demand trust, the SEC must not look away. That is the balance we are building—ease that enables and integrity that protects,” he said.

In less than a year since Lim was appointed as chairperson of the SEC, the commission has strengthened service standards through a “deemed approved” policy.