The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) will begin rolling out a new Web-based platform for beneficial ownership disclosures as part of broader reforms aimed at improving corporate transparency and regulatory oversight.
Starting Jan. 30, 2026, corporations required to submit beneficial ownership information will do so through the Hierarchical and Applicable Relations and Beneficial Ownership Registry (Harbor), a digital system integrated with the SEC’s Electronic Filing and Submission Tool (eFAST).
The platform allows companies to securely submit, update, and revalidate beneficial ownership data without the need for repeated annual disclosures unless changes occur.
The SEC said the shift to Harbor is intended to reduce manual processing, improve data quality, and allow regulators faster access to accurate ownership information for compliance monitoring and inter-agency coordination.
“Beneficial ownership disclosures are a key transparency reform that supports good governance and helps prevent the misuse of corporate structures for illicit activities,” SEC chairperson Francis Lim said.
“Through Harbor, the SEC streamlines the filing process while strengthening BO data management, enabling the Commission to provide timely and meaningful support to partner agencies in lawful enforcement actions,” he added.
Alongside the launch of Harbor, the SEC issued updated General Information Sheet (GIS) forms for 2026. The revised forms remove the section on beneficial ownership disclosures, reflecting the transition to a centralized registry.
Under the new system, companies will only need to revalidate previously submitted information unless there are material changes, such as the addition of new beneficial owners.
Beneficial owners are defined as natural persons who ultimately own or exercise effective control over a corporation, whether directly or indirectly.
Access to Harbor requires an active account under the SEC’s Electronic SEC Universal Registration Environment (eSECURE), and filings may only be made by authorized eFAST users.
The initiative is being implemented under SEC Memorandum Circular No. 15, Series of 2025, which revised the country’s beneficial ownership disclosure rules.
The commission said the reforms support the Philippines’ commitments to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and are part of ongoing efforts to sustain anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing improvements following the country’s exit from the FATF grey list in February 2025
