SEC launches online company registration simulation

THE Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has rolled out a free online company registration simulation on its SEC Academy portal, letting entrepreneurs practice registering a business before submitting actual applications.

“As the SEC continues to transform the business registration process and shift services online, we want to ensure that it remains easy and accessible to all entrepreneurs, whether they are tech-savvy or not,” SEC Chairman Francis Ed. Lim said in a statement on Wednesday.

The simulation guides users through registering a company using the Electronic Simplified Processing of Application for Registration of Company (eSPARC) platform and setting up an account on the Electronic SEC Universal Registration Environment (eSECURE), which provides access to all SEC digital services.

Through eSPARC, users can simulate filings for one-person corporations, domestic and foreign stock and nonstock corporations and their various offices.

Test credentials are provided for eSECURE accounts, letting users explore the platform without completing full credentialing.

The simulation also integrates digital document authentication via the Electronic Submission Authentication Portal (eSAP), eliminating the need for wet signatures, and generates tentative payment assessments based on authorized capital.

The tool allows users to identify and correct errors, reducing stalled applications and easing traffic in the registration system. The SEC said this enables staff to focus on processing complete and compliant applications, improving overall efficiency and service delivery.

Launched during the 2025 Investor Protection Week, the SEC Academy offers free courses on financial management, business startup, investment literacy and recognizing fraudulent schemes, reinforcing the agency’s broader efforts to support entrepreneurship and investor protection in the Philippines. — Alexandria Grace C. Magno