The Department of Justice (DOJ), through its Office for Competition (OFC), with the support of the Supreme Court, in collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), holds the second series of the seminar entitled "Principles of Competition Policy and Law for Judges" at the Marco Polo Hotel in Cebu City starting today until 23 May 2014.

The seminar is to raise awareness on the benefits of competition policy and law as well as understand the adverse effects of unfair trade practices on the Philippine economy. Officials from the Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) and other competition experts will provide their views and experiences on the topics.

"Competition-related issues in several sectors of our economy have hampered the growth of our micro, small, and medium enterprises. Hence, there is a need to further deepen understanding of competition law and policy as well as enhance the skills of those concerned with their implementation and enforcement," Justice Secretary Leila M. De Lima said.

Last January, a similar event was held in the same venue which was attended by 2 Deputy Court Administrators and 33 Judges all over the country. As in the first series, the judges were chosen for their breadth of knowledge and experience with the hope of building a better competition atmosphere around the nation.

"Maintaining free and fair competition in markets is the responsibility of all. The cooperation of various government agencies and the public is important to ensure that economic entities do not abuse the market or engage in conduct which restricts trade," Assistant Secretary Geronimo L. Sy, Head of OFC stated.

Under E.O. No. 45, series of 2011, the OFC, as competition authority of the country, is mandated to investigate all cases involving violations of competition laws and prosecute violators. The OFC is likewise called upon to enforce competition policies and laws to protect consumers from abusive, fraudulent, or harmful corrupt business practices.