Due to the influx of cases involving cybercrime, competition, and intellectual property, the Supreme Court has designated 77 more branches of the regional trial courts to act as special commercial courts .
The designations, recommended by Marquez, were approved for the SC by Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo, Senior Associate Justice Estela M. Perlas Bernabe and Associate Justice Marvic M. V. F. Leonen.The designation of SCCs started in 2000 with the passage of Republic Act No. 8799, the Securities Regulations Code, which transferred to the courts the jurisdiction of cases erstwhile cognizable by the Securities and Exchange Commission .
In 2019, the jurisdiction of the SCCs was expanded to cover issues involving the Philippine Competition Act under RA 10667. “Due to influx of cases that may be filed in view of the expanded jurisdiction of the SCCs and their designation as cybercrime courts and competition courts, additional branches of the RTCs may be designated as SCCs to promote expediency and efficiency in handling all cases under the jurisdiction of SCCs,” he said.