The Revised Corporation Code (Republic Act No. 11232) provides for the perpetual existence of a corporation, unless its articles of incorporation provide otherwise. The Revised Corporation Code also provides that a corporation whose term has expired (“Expired Corporation”) may apply for revival of its corporate existence. To provide the guidelines for the revival of Expired Corporations, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued SEC Memorandum Circular No. 23, series of 2019.

WHO MAY FILE FOR REVIVAL; WHERE FILED

The following corporations may file a Petition for Revival of Corporate Existence, which may be filed with the SEC’s Company Registration and Monitoring Department (“CRMD”), any SEC Satellite Office, or any SEC Extension Office:

• a. Generally, a corporation whose term has expired; 

• b. An Expired Corporation whose Certificate of Registration has been revoked for non-filing of reports (e.g. General Information Sheet, and Audited Financial Statements), provided that it shall file the proper Petition to Lift its Revoked Status, which may be incorporated in its Petition to Revive, and must settle the corresponding penalties thereof; 

• c. An Expired Corporation whose Certificate of Registration has been suspended, provided that it shall file the proper Petition to Lift its Suspended Status, which may be incorporated in its Petition to Revive, and must settle the corresponding penalties thereof; or 

• d. An Expired Corporation whose corporate name has already been validly re-used, and is currently being used, by another existing corporation duly registered with the SEC, provided that the former shall change its corporate name within 30 days from the issuance of its Certificate of Revival of Corporate Existence. 

The required number of votes for the revival of an expired stock corporation is at least a majority vote of the board of directors, and the vote of at least majority of the outstanding capital stock. For nonstock corporations, at least a majority vote of the board of trustees, and the vote of at least majority of the members. 

EXEMPTIONS

In the broader interest of justice and in order to best serve public interest, the SEC may, in particular matter, exempt an Expired Corporation from the guidelines in exceptional cases and apply such suitable, fair and reasonable procedure to improve the delivery of public service and to assist the parties in obtaining a speedy and judicious disposition of cases. 

WHO MAY NOT APPLY FOR REVIVAL

The following are not allowed to file a Petition for Revival of Corporate Existence: 

• a. An Expired Corporation which has completed the liquidation of its assets; 

• b. A corporation whose Certificate of Registration has been revoked for reasons other than non-filing of reports (e.g. General Information Sheet, and Audited Financial Statements); 

• c. A corporation dissolved by virtue of Sections 6(c) and 6(d) of Presidential Decree No. 902-A, as amended by Presidential Decree No. 1799; or
  
• An Expired Corporation which already availed of re-registration, in accordance with Memorandum Circular No. 13, series of 2019 (Amended Guidelines and Procedures on the Use of Corporate and Partnership Names), or other memorandum circulars issued by the SEC pertaining to re-registration, except when: (i) The re-registered corporation has given its consent to the Petitioner to use its corporate name, and has undertaken to undergo voluntary dissolution immediately after the issuance of the Petitioner’s Certificate of Revival; or (ii) The re-registered corporation has given its consent to the Petitioner to use its corporate name, and has undertaken to change its corporate name immediately after the issuance of the Petitioner’s Certificate of Revival. 

PROCEDURE FOR REVIVAL 

a. Petitioner, or its duly authorized representative, shall file a verified Petition for the Revival of Corporate Existence, in accordance with the SEC Rules of Procedure, and must contain the following statements: 

• i. That the revival of Petitioner’s corporate term was approved by a vote of at least majority of the outstanding capital stock, or by at least majority of the members in the case of a nonstock corporation;
  
• ii. If there has been a change in the composition of the stockholders or members since the expiration of Petitioner’s corporate term, a Reconciliation of the changes in the composition of the stockholders or members from the date of expiration of its corporate term up to the date of stockholders’ or members’ approval of the resolution to file the Petition for Revival of Corporate Existence, or the date of approval by the board of directors, or trustees in the case of a nonstock corporation, of the filing of said Petition, whichever is later, which shall provide for, and refer to, the supporting evidence (e.g. Deed of Sale, Deed of Assignment, Death Certificate of a stockholder/member, and Extrajudicial Settlement of the Estate of a stockholder/member) of the changes in the composition of the stockholders or members; 

• iii. That the undersigned are the duly elected directors or trustees, and officers of Petitioner;
  
• iv. That, as of the date of filing of the Petition for Revival, no action or proceeding has been filed or is pending before any court or tribunal involving an intra-corporate dispute or claim by any person or group against the directors, officers, or stockholders of the Corporation;
  
• v. That the revival of Petitioner’s corporate term shall not cause damage, loss, or injury to any third person or any government agency; 

• vi. If Petitioner’s corporate name has already been validly reused, and is currently being used, by another existing corporation duly registered with the SEC, that Petitioner shall change its corporate name within 30 days from the issuance of its Certificate of Revival of Corporate Existence (Petitioner must also state in its Petition its proposed new corporate name, which must be duly reserved with the SEC); and
  
• vii. If Petitioner is an expired corporation which already availed of re- registration, in accordance with Memorandum Circular No. 13, Series of 2019 (Amended Guidelines and Procedures on the Use of Corporate and Partnership Names), or other memorandum circulars issued by the Commission pertaining to re-registration, that: (1) The re-registered corporation has given its consent to the Petitioner to use its corporate name, and has undertaken to undergo voluntary dissolution immediately after the issuance of the Petitioner’s Certificate of Revival; or (2) The re-registered corporation has given its consent to the Petitioner to use its corporate name, and has undertaken to change its corporate name immediately after the issuance of the Petitioner’s Certificate of Revival. 

(b) Within 15 days from filing. Petitioner shall publish in a newspaper of general circulation its Petition for Revival, stamped “Received” by the SEC, with the corresponding docket number.

(c) Within 15 days from publication, Petitioner shall file with the SEC the following pieces of evidence of the publication of the Verified Petition for Revival in a newspaper of general circulation: (1) Affidavit of the Newspaper’s Editor-in-Chief/Managing Editor/Content Editor attesting to the fact of publication of the Petition for Revival; and (2) Actual newspaper cutout of the publication showing the date and name of the newspaper, and all the pages of the Petition with its attachments. 

(d) Parties in interest may file a Verified Opposition to the Petition for Revival, with a clear statement of the grounds relied upon, within 15 days from the date of publication of the verified Petition for Revival. The party opposing the Petition for Revival shall serve to the Petitioner a copy of the verified Opposition with its attachments, and shall attach proof of such service in the verified Opposition to be filed with the SEC.

(e) The Petition for Revival, and any Opposition thereto, shall be verified in the same manner as the verified Answer under Section 3-3, Rule III of Part II of the 2016 Rules of Procedure of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

(f) A party in interest shall file with the SEC the original documents along with 3 copies thereof, which shall be properly marked. 

(g) Upon filing of the Petition for Revival or during a scheduled conference, Petitioner, or its duly authorized representative, shall pre-mark all evidence to be introduced, and shall present the original documents for comparison with the photocopies of the supporting documents attached with the Petition for Revival. A party opposing the Petition for Revival, upon filing of the Opposition or during a scheduled conference, shall pre-mark all evidence to be introduced. The parties shall make accessible to the adverse party the original of the evidence presented, in order to verify and compare in case of doubt on its authenticity. In lieu of a scheduled conference, the Petitioner or a party opposing the Petition for Revival may stipulate in their respective Petition or Opposition that each of the documents submitted is an authentic copy of the original, complete, and all statements and information provided therein are true and correct. 

(h) The SEC may call the parties for a Clarificatory Conference to clarify factual and legal issues.

(i) If the SEC finds that the Petition is meritorious, it shall grant the Petition and issue a Certificate of Revival of Corporate Existence, which shall be evidence of Petitioner’s revival, together with all the rights and privileges under its Certificate of Incorporation and subject to all its duties, debts and liabilities existing prior to the revival of its corporate term.

(j) The Certificate of Revival shall provide for a perpetual term of existence unless a specific corporate term is stated by the applicant corporation in the verified Petition for Revival.

DOCUMENTARY REQUIREMENTS

Petitioner shall file with, and refer to in, its Petition for Revival the following documents: 

(a) Photocopy of Petitioner’s Certificate of Incorporation and Articles of Incorporation;

(b) Photocopy of Petitioner’s Certificate of Filing of Amended Articles of Incorporation, with the respective Amended Articles of Incorporation, if Petitioner’s Articles of Incorporation were amended;

(c) Revived Articles of Incorporation, consisting of Petitioner’s latest Amended Articles of Incorporation and the proposed changes in the corporate term to be effected by the revival, which shall be underlined;

(d) Petitioner’s duly accomplished General Information Sheet (“GIS”) as of the date of expiration of its corporate term, or an equivalent document, such as, but not limited to, the Secretary’s Certificate indicating the list of stockholders and officers with the corresponding stockholdings;

(e) Notarized list of stockholders or members as of the date of approval of the revival, stating their names, their nationalities, and number of shares subscribed, amount subscribed and paid, or the respective members’ contributions for nonstock corporations, certified by the Corporate Secretary;

(f) If there has been a change in the composition of the stockholders or members since the expiration of Petitioner’s corporate term, the GIS of the Petitioner as of the date of stockholders’ or members’ approval of the resolution to file the Petition for Revival of its corporate existence, or the date of the board of directors’ or trustees’ approval of the filing of the said Petition, whichever is later;

(g) Photocopy of the supporting evidence (e.g. Deed of Sale with the Certificate Authorizing Registration, Deed of Assignment, Death Certificate of a stockholder/member, and Extrajudicial Settlement of the Estate of a stockholder/member) referred to in the Reconciliation of the changes in the composition of the stockholders or members;

(h) Photocopy of Petitioner’s Audited Financial Statements as of the date of expiration of its corporate term, , and for the year immediately preceding, as audited by an independent Certified Public Accountant; 

(i) Photocopy of Petitioner’s Audited Financial Statements as of a date not exceeding 120 days prior to the date of filing of the Petition for Revival, and for the year immediately preceding, as audited by an independent Certified Public Accountant;

(k) A favorable recommendation of the appropriate government agency in the case of banks, banking and quasi-banking institutions, preneed, insurance and trust companies, NSSLAs, pawnshops, corporations engaged in money service business, and other financial intermediaries;

(l) If Petitioner’s corporate name has already been validly reused, and is currently being used, by another existing corporation duly registered with the SEC, Proof of Reservation of Petitioner’s Proposed New Corporate Name; and 

(m) If Petitioner is an expired corporation which already availed of re- registration, in accordance with Memorandum Circular No. 13, series of 2019 (Amended Guidelines and Procedures on the Use of Corporate and Partnership Names), or other memorandum circulars issued by the Commission pertaining to re-registration, Certification, under oath, issued by the Corporate Secretary of the re-registered corporation stating that: (i) the re-registered corporation has given its consent to the Petitioner to use its corporate name, and has undertaken to undergo voluntary dissolution immediately after the issuance of the Petitioner’s Certificate of Revival; or (ii) the re-registered corporation has given its consent to the Petitioner to use its corporate name, and has undertaken to change its corporate name immediately after the issuance of the Petitioner’s Certificate of Revival.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENT FOR CERTAIN CORPORATIONS

No application for revival of certificate of incorporation of banks, banking and quasi-banking institutions, preneed, insurance and trust companies, NSSLAs, pawnshops, corporations engaged in money service business, and other financial intermediaries shall be approved by the Commission unless accompanied by a favorable recommendation of the appropriate government agency. 

PERIOD TO COMPLY WITH NEW REQUIREMENTS

A revived corporation shall be given a period of 2 years from the issuance of its Certificate of Revival to comply with the provisions of the Revised Corporation Code, unless otherwise provided in these guidelines. 

APPRAISAL RIGHT

The revival of the corporate existence is without prejudice to the appraisal right of dissenting stockholders in accordance with the provisions of the Revised Corporation Code. 

SEC Memorandum Circular No. 23 dated 21 November 2019 was published in Philippine Star and Manila Times on 6 December 2019.