Senator Win Gatchalian said the enactment of the Capital Markets Efficiency Promotion Act (CMEPA) marks a significant milestone in the country’s efforts in enhancing investor confidence and expanding capital markets.

The chairperson of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means and sponsor of the measure, Gatchalian emphasized that the enactment of CMEPA is critical to building a more competitive and accessible investment environment, one that is aligned with global standards and is expected to encourage greater participation from both domestic and international investors.

“Hindi lang ito para sa malalaking negosyo. This law empowers every Filipino to be part of wealth creation. Panahon na para palawakin ang oportunidad – para sa lahat, hindi lang sa iilan,” Gatchalian said.

Under the proposed measure, the stock transaction tax will be reduced from 0.6% to 0.1%, significantly lowering the cost of trading in Philippine equities. This adjustment brings the Philippines closer to regional peers with more investor-friendly rates.

The measure also lowers the documentary stamp tax on the original issuance of shares from 1% to 0.75%.