The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has allowed corporations to file select amendments to their corporate documents without submitting hard copies to speed up processing, reduce compliance costs, and ease the regulatory burden on businesses.

Citing Memorandum Circular No. 21, Series of 2026, issued on 17 July, the SEC said Monday it introduced an optional paperless filing lane through the Electronic Application for Modification of Entity Data (eAMEND) portal for select amendment applications under the Simple Processing lane.

The paperless option covers amendments to the articles of incorporation (AOI) and bylaws.

For the AOI, eligible amendments include changes to the principal office address, term of existence, number of directors or trustees, fiscal year for one-person corporations, and the prefatory clause. 

Covered by-law amendments include changes to the date of the annual stockholders’ or members’ meeting and the fiscal year.

Corporations may still choose to file through the existing Simple or Regular processing lanes using hard-copy documents.

“We continue to leverage our digital tools to provide the public with better services in every transaction, consistent with our goal of improving the ease of doing business in the Philippines,” SEC Chairperson Francis Lim said.

“By allowing paperless filing for specific applications through the eAMEND portal, we are not only expediting the processing of amendment applications, but also reducing the administrative burden for corporations and promoting sustainability in the corporate sector,” he added.

To use the paperless facility, the authorized representative and corporate secretary must create Electronic SEC Universal Registration Environment accounts and undergo credentialing. 

The SEC may also collect personal information and capture a live photo of the corporate secretary as part of its electronic Know-Your-Customer process.

Applications must include signed and notarized documents and a separately signed and notarized secretary’s certificate with an undertaking. The SEC said scanned copies submitted through the eAMEND portal will have the same legal effect as hard copies, subject to verification.

The Commission will continue to conduct random post-audits and may require corporations to present original documents.

The circular also imposes penalties for misrepresentation, submission of falsified documents, failure to comply with undertakings, or refusal to produce original documents when required. Violators may face revocation of approved amendments, disqualification from paperless filing, administrative sanctions, and possible civil or criminal proceedings.

Corporations selected for random post-audit that fail to submit original documents within 15 calendar days may also be fined P20,000 and/or have their approved amendment revoked.