PRESS RELEASE
27 August 2026

PCC, MMSU partner to advance competition economics in Northern Luzon

(L-R) MMSU Department of Economics Chairperson Jay Pee Ilacas, PCC Economics Office (EO) Business and Economics Division Chief Edgardo Manuel Jopson, PCC EO Director Carlos Vega, MMSU President Virgilio Julius Manzano, Jr., MMSU Vice President for Academic Affairs Aris Reynold Cajigal, and MMSU College of Business, Economics, and Accountancy OIC Dean Emil James Tanagon (Photo courtesy of MMSU)
 

On August 11, the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) and Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) formalized their institutional partnership under the PCC Academic Hubs Project for FY 2026-2027. The initiative aims to strengthen the promotion of competition economics and policy in higher education institutions (HEIs) through structured academic engagement and research collaboration. 

The event was led by PCC Economics Office Director Carlos Vega, representing Executive Director Kenneth Tanate, and MMSU President Virgilio Julius Manzano, Jr.

Under the terms of the agreement, MMSU will integrate competition law, economics, and policy into its academic syllabi and instructional materials, with plans to explore permanent course offerings beyond the pilot FY 2026-2027 cycle. The state university will also engage its faculty and students in joint research activities, utilize PCC’s upcoming digital databank for partner HEIs, and provide logistical support for campus-hosted learning sessions.

The PCC will extend technical guidance, deploy experts for campus guest lectures, and open pathways for MMSU scholars to join visiting research fellowships and student internship programs. Putting these institutional commitments into practice, the event concluded with a research seminar where PCC economists presented papers on local labor market concentration and union activity, as well as on dynamic reserve pricing in medicine procurement.

MMSU is the second partner HEI to join the PCC Academic Hubs Project, following the inaugural partnership with De La Salle University in June 2026. The Commission is slated to expand the rollout with upcoming institutional partnerships with the University of the Philippines (UP) Los Baños and the UP Diliman.

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REFERENCE:  
publicaffairs@phcc.gov.ph  
Public Affairs and Research Division
Communications and Knowledge Management Office
Philippine Competition Commission