Mer's Business Center

May 6, 2021 ENFORCEMENT AND INVESTOR PROTECTION DEPARTMENT SEC ADVISORY The Securities and Exchange Commission has received information that individuals or group of persons representing MER'S BUSINESS CENTER headed by REYNALDO ABING CAMINGAWAN and ROGER ABING CAMINGAWAN are inviting the public to invest in the entity. MER'S BUSINESS CENTER offers an investment scheme to the public through its so-called "Contractual Joint Venture Agreement" where members or business partners are promised 30% monthly interest for 1 year or 360% in 12 months renewable for another 12 months after its expiration. These Investment Plans have been offered in MER'S BUSINESS CENTER branches and satellite offices which are made known to the public through Facebook Live posts/videos by Roger Camingawan in his Facebook pages "Roger Camingawan" and " Isumbong mo kay Kapartner Roger Camingawan ," as well as in the YouTube Channel " Kapartner Mo Channel ." It may be recalled that Roger Camingawan was mentioned in two separate Advisories issued by the Commission against persons propagating fake news on Kapa Community Ministry International, Inc. (Kapa). In the Advisory dated 21 May 2020, Roger Camingawan was identified as one of the persons spreading false news that the cases filed by the SEC for violation of the Securities Regulation Code were already dismissed and said dismissal will render the Cease and Desist Order issued against Kapa as void. In an Advisory dated 09 December 2019, Roger Camingawan was also mentioned as untruthfully claiming that Kapa has been registered as a crowdfunding entity under the Rules Governing Crowdfunding. The public is hereby warned that the investment scheme of MER'S BUSINESS CENTER involves the offer and sale of securities in the nature of an investment contract subject to the regulatory authority of this Commission. The Securities Regulation Code (SRC) requires that these securities are duly registered with the Commission and that the concerned corporation and/or its agents have appropriate registration and/or license to sell such securities to the public pursuant to Sections 8.1 and 28.1 of the SRC. Records of the Commission show that MER'S BUSINESS CENTER is not registered as a corporation or partnership. However, MER'S BUSINESS CENTER has been issued a Certificate of Business Name Registration on 23 December 2020 by the Department of Trade and Industry with Business Name No. 2363068 under the name of its owner, REYNALDO ABING CAMINGAWAN . Nonetheless, MER'S BUSINESS CENTER is not authorized to solicit investments from the public as it did not secure prior registration and/or license to solicit investments from the Commission as prescribed under Section 8 of the SRC. Accordingly, those who invite or recruit other people to join or invest in this venture or offer investment contracts or securities to the public may be held criminally liable or accordingly sanctioned or penalized in accordance with the Supreme Court decision in the case of SEC vs. Oudine Santos (G.R. No. 195542, March 19, 2014). In view thereof, the public is hereby advised to exercise caution before investing in these kinds of activities and to take the necessary precautions in dealing with MER'S BUSINESS CENTER or its representatives. The Commission urges anyone who has knowledge or information about any business transactions involving these securities or investment opportunities to report such activities so that appropriate actions could be taken through the email of the Enforcement and Investor Protection Department at [emailprotected] . For the guidance of the public. Pasay City, May 6, 2021.