Banking, Finance & Securities:
Vicente D. Gerochi IV
vdgerochi@syciplaw.com
Our Banking, Finance & Securities group represents and advises most of the major banks, and in all types of financing transactions and regulatory matters.
Recent transactional highlights:
- IFC’s Php4.804 billion Green Bond Issuance
- Bank of the Philippine Islands’ US$600 million Bond Offering
- ICTSI’s issuance of US$400 million fixed-for-life perpetual securities
- Issuance by Royal Capital B.V., a Dutch Company, of US$400 million Senior Perpetual Capital Securities Guaranteed by International Container Terminal Services, Inc.
- 260 million euro Facility Loan of ICTSI Middle East DMCC (a company incorporated under the laws of the Emirate of Dubai, and is a subsidiary of ICTSI), to fund the development, operation, and management of a port in Sudan
- Php40 billion loan facility for the Vertis North Solaire Hotel and Resorts Project
- Php21.3 billion Term Loan Facility for SMC Global Power's Malita Power Plant Project to fund the design, construction and operation of a 2x150MW coal-fired power plant in Malita, Davao Occidental
- Php8.7 billion term loan facility to South Luzon Thermal Energy Corp to finance the construction of a 135 MW circulating fluidized coal-fired power plant in Calaca, Batangas
- Clark Global City Corporation’s US$690 million Acquisition Financing
Corporate Services:
Simeon Ken R. Ferrer
skrferrer@syciplaw.com
We provide a full range of services for our clients, including setting up a business presence in the Philippines, advising on compliance and governance matters, acting as corporate secretaries, and assisting the client in managing director and stockholder meetings, share issuances and transfers, and record keeping.
Representative List of Clients:
- Bank of the Philippine Islands
- Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd. Manila
- BMW, AG
- Citibank, N.A.
- Clorox International Phils., Inc.
- Colgate-Palmolive Philippines, Inc.
- Ford Motor Company
- Macquarie Capital Securities (Philippines) Inc.
- Manila Electric Company
- NTT Communications Corporation
- Philippine American Life Insurance Company
- Pru Life U.K.
- San Miguel Corporation
- Wells Fargo Bank, National Association
Employment and Immigration:
Dante T. Pamintuan
dtpamintuan@syciplaw.com
SyCipLaw’s Employment and Immigration Department (EID) advises and represents clients in a variety of non-adversarial and adversarial employment law matters, as well as in developing programs and strategies intended to improve labor relations in businesses and to avoid inefficiencies and conflicts within the workplace. The mindset is to minimize or avoid litigation. When unavoidable, EID advises and represents clients in adversarial proceedings, such as in compulsory and voluntary arbitration before labor agencies, and in litigation and appellate work before the regular courts. We also handle labor relations matters, including collective bargaining negotiation.
Recent transactional highlights:
- Reorganization of Thomson Reuters’ Financial and Risk business
- Rightsizing by Syngenta Philippines, Inc. of its business operations in the Philippines
- Acquisition by Skyview of a select portfolio of Conduent’s standalone customer care contracts
- Assisted the University of Rhode Island in establishing a Philippine branch to implement a fisheries program of the USAID in the Philippines
- Assisted the Philippine Airlines with a retrenchment program
- Settlement of a notice of strike and negotiation of a collective bargaining agreement for Union Bank of the Philippines
- Represented Firmenich Philippines, Inc. in an employment litigation involving a division manager and a criminal case filed by the said division manager
- Assisted Cargill Philippines, Inc. in challenging a unionization attempt
Intellectual Property:
Vida M. Panganiban- Alindogan
vmpanganiban@syciplaw.com
The firm’s intellectual property practice is the largest in the country in terms of client base and range of services offered. These include basic rights protection, such as trademark, copyright, patent and product registration.
Recent transactional highlights:
- Opposition Proceeding involving the trademark AOMAI for Zippo Manufacturing Company
- Opposition Proceeding involving the trademark INVESTAGRAMS for Instagram, LLC
- Opposition Proceeding involving the trademark NEXT TO NATURE for Jackel International Limited
- Opposition proceeding involving the trademark TUPPER CABINET for Tupperware Brands Corporation
- Portfolio management, protection and enforcement for F. Hoffman-La Roche AG, AbbVie Inc., Biofarma, Dyson Technology, Samsung Electronics Co., Inc., Colgate Palmolive Company, Total SA, The Clorox Company, Chanel SARL, Rolex SA, Gap Inc., Coach Inc.
Litigation:
Ricardo Ma. P.G. Ongkiko
rmpgongkiko@syciplaw.com
Our litigation/arbitration practice is integrally linked with the firm’s renowned commercial law practice. The connection and access to our commercial practice, which other firms do not enjoy, enables our litigation/arbitration practitioners to draw on our unparalleled commercial law experience and expertise in the most significant, complex, and high-value cases. Our litigation/arbitration practice is ranked and cited as Band One, Top Tier or Tier One by the most reputable international legal practice research guides. We represent foreign and local clients in a wide array of industries — mining, water, power, telecommunications, infrastructure, banking, pharmaceutical, food manufacturing, hotel, airline, construction, and many others. We litigate in all court levels (with a particularly strong appellate and Supreme Court practice) as well as administrative agencies. SyCipLaw has been involved in numerous landmark commercial law cases in the Supreme Court over the past few years. Our extensive arbitration practice includes international and local commercial, utility and construction arbitration.
Recent cases, transactional highlights:
- Maynilad Water Services Inc. – successful confirmation and enforcement of the favorable arbitral award in a rate-rebasing dispute with the Metropolitan Water Sewerage System (MWSS) before the trial court and the Court of Appeals. MWSS has filed a petition for review with the Supreme Court which is pending
- Filminera Resources Corp. – successful defense of a major Mining Project in Environmental Case in the Court of Appeals and later the Supreme Court
- Meralco – defense of the largest Philippine power distributor in an Economic Withholding Case where the issue of jurisdiction of the Philippine Energy Regulatory Commission is now before the Supreme Court
- Platinum Group Metals Corporation – successful insurance suit for a mining company, which was appealed to the Court of Appeals where it is now pending
- Del Monte Fresh Produce – representation of food manufacturer in a mass tort case filed by workers and residents of banana plantations in the Philippines
Special Projects:
Rocky Alejandro L. Reyes
ralreyes@syciplaw.com
Our Special Projects group undertakes the firm’s project and transactional work, which constitutes the firm’s traditional focus and largest practice area. This department covers investments, M&A, privatization, and transactions in a wide range of industries.
Recent transactional highlights:
- Acting for bidders for the bidding conducted by the Bases Conversion and Development Authority of a concession to develop, operate and maintain the Water and Wastewater Infrastructure at New Clark City
- Acting for bidders for the bidding conducted by the Bases Conversion and Development Authority for the development, operations and maintenance of the distribution system at the New Clark City
- San Miguel Corporation’s unsolicited proposal for the financing, design, construction, and operation and maintenance of the New Manila International Airport including an airport toll road in Bulacan, Philippines
- Bidding conducted the Manila Electric Company of power supply contracts
- Acquisition by KEPCO Philippines Holdings, Inc. of a 38% interest in Solar Philippines Calatagan Corporation, the owner of a 63.3MW solar power plant in Calatagan, Batangas under the Feed-In-Tariff System and the largest solar power generation company in the Philippines
- Grab’s acquisition of Uber’s assets
- Lawson, Inc.’s acquisition of a 70% interest in PG Lawson Company, Inc.
- Acquisition of a 70% interest in Conti’s Holdings Corporation
- Joint venture between Century Properties Group, Inc. and Mitsubishi Corporation
Tax:
Rolando V. Medalla, Jr.
rvmedalla@syciplaw.com
SyCipLaw’s tax department provides the entire range of tax services, from advising on and structuring the tax aspects of corporate transactions to administrative and judicial litigation in relation to tax refunds and defending clients against assessments for both national taxes and customs duties and local taxes.
Recent transactional highlights:
- Various ongoing cases involving possible liabilities of US$42 million for real property taxes of a major Build Operate Transfer hydroelectric contractor
- Appeal from a ruling of the Bureau of Internal Revenue that re-interprets the requirements for a transaction to qualify as a tax-free exchange transaction in a transfer of assets for control of a corporation involving possible liabilities of US$21 million;
- Taxes in connection with the establishment of a mobile phone leasing/financing system in partnership with the telecommunications service provider in the Philippines similar to the programs offered in the USA (such as Sprint’s “iPhone for Life” program);
- Taxes due on an unincorporated consortium to bid for the LRT Line 2 – East Masinag Extension Project, and the tax implications of the EPC contract between an unincorporated consortium and the Philippine government
