All posts by Ink Elephant

Maria Teresita Geraldine C. Sison-Go is a partner who heads the Immigration practice. Her practice focuses on immigration.

Maritess handles applications with the Bureau of Immigration for the continued stay of foreign nationals and their dependents in the Philippines. She also assists clients in procuring all kinds of work permits, such as Alien Employment Permits from the Department of Labor and Employment for foreigners assigned in the Philippines for more than six months, provisional work permits for foreign nationals with pending Prearranged Employment Visa applications, and Special Work Permits from the Bureau of Immigration for those who need to work for a special project for a duration of less than six months. She also represents foreigners who desire to be naturalized Filipino citizens, as well as those who have pending deportation cases before the Bureau of Immigration.

Maritess also undertakes services related to immigration transactions, alien admission, and alien registration. She handles visa applications such as probationary and permanent visas on behalf of foreign nationals who are married to Filipinos and whose countries have reciprocity agreements with the Philippines.

Maritess is a former President of the Philippine Bar Association from 2010-2011 and is currently the National Treasurer of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines. She is also a former President of the Women Lawyer’s Circle of the University of the Philippines from 2002-2004. She is a recipient of the Outstanding Integrated Bar of the Philippines Chapter President Award. She was also awarded as one of the Outstanding Scholastica Alumnae Awardees in 2006.

Maritess graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of the Philippines in 1975 and her bachelor of laws degree from the same university in 1980. She was admitted to the Philippine bar in 1982 and joined the firm in 1983.

Fernando C. Sioson is a partner who is a member of the Project Development & Finance department. His practice focuses on project development and finance, and natural resources.

Randy regularly advises Philippine and foreign clients in the energy, oil, mining, and infrastructure fields. He also represents clients in various dealings before the Securities and Exchange Commission, Department of Energy, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Transportation and Communications, Bureau of Mines, Bureau of Internal Revenue, and Central Bank of the Philippines.

Randy’s expertise includes government contracts involving privatizations, public biddings, procurements, and joint ventures. He also advises clients on corporate structuring relative to mergers and acquisitions and corporate reorganizations.

Randy has represented clients in commercial arbitration before the ICC International Court of Arbitration. He has also acted as counsel to equity investors, turnkey contractors, financial advisers, and project lenders.

Randy received his bachelor’s degree in Business Management from De La Salle University in 1990 and his juris doctor degree from the Ateneo de Manila University in 1994. He was admitted to the Philippine bar in 1995 where he placed 2nd and joined the firm in the same year.

Joaquin V. Sayoc, a partner, is a member of the Intellectual Property, Real Estate & Natural Resources, and Litigation & Arbitration departments. His practice focuses on intellectual property, real estate, and litigation.

Joaquin specializes in patent, trademark, and copyright registration, enforcement, and litigation. He likewise has extensive and significant experience in real estate development, acquisition of properties, land use and zoning, and planning and permit process. He also handles litigation before administrative bodies and the regular courts, including trial and appellate advocacy.

Joaquin received his bachelor’s degree in History and Political Science from De La Salle University in 1979 and received his bachelor of laws degree from the Ateneo de Manila University in 1985. He was admitted to the Philippine bar in 1986 and joined the firm in 1987.

Jose C. Salvosa is a partner who is a member of the Litigation & Arbitration, Labor & Immigration, and Banking & Finance departments. His practice focuses on litigation, arbitration, labor, and corporate law.

Salvo has extensive experience in handling litigation and disputes involving civil, criminal, commercial, corporate rehabilitation and liquidation, labor and employment, real estate, torts, intellectual property, and tax matters. He handles cases before all levels of the Philippine judiciary, including the trial courts, Court of Tax Appeals, Court of Appeals, and Supreme Court. He has likewise appeared before administrative and quasi-judicial bodies such as the Securities and Exchange Commission, National Labor Relations Commission, and Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board.

Salvo has also been involved in domestic and international arbitrations, both institutional and ad hoc. Particularly, he has handled disputes under the rules of the International Chamber of Commerce, Philippine Dispute Resolution Center Inc., and the Construction Industry Arbitration Commission.

Salvo’s practice also includes general corporate law. He renders regulatory and transactions advice, advisory assistance, and drafting, execution, and review of legal documents. He serves as a director and corporate secretary for clients and a member of the Legal Assistance Service of the Asian Development Bank.

Salvo received his bachelor’s degree in Legal Management from Ateneo de Manila University in 2000 and his juris doctor degree from Ateneo de Manila in 2005. He was admitted to the bar in 2006 and joined the firm in the same year.

Jacqueline Therese J. Romero-Laurel, a partner, is affiliated with the General Corporate department and Hong Kong office. Her practice focuses on corporate law, taxation, and real estate.

Jackie regularly advises Philippine and foreign clients in various industries on legal and tax implications of commercial transactions, contracts, joint ventures, shareholders’ agreements, management and technical consultancy agreements, and compliance and regulatory issues.

Jackie is experienced in tax and estate matters, compliance with regulations of taxing authorities, and handling of tax assessments. She represents clients before various government offices such as the Securities and Exchange Commission, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, and Bureau of Internal Revenue.

Jackie graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Commerce with a major in Accounting from De La Salle University in 1983 and is a Certified Public Accountant. She received her bachelor of laws degree from the Ateneo de Manila University in 1988. She was admitted to the Philippine bar in 1989 and joined the firm in 1990.

Ronald D. Policarpio is a partner who is working with the Banking & Finance department. His practice focuses on banking and finance, corporate law, and securities.

Ronald renders advice on legal and regulatory matters to foreign and local clients engaged in all aspects of commercial activities, such as banking, finance, insurance, securities, investments, real estate, utilities, manufacturing, pre-need, healthcare, and business process outsourcing. He has also taken the lead in numerous special projects in different industries.

Ronald represents clients in transactions and matters before the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, Securities and Exchange Commission, Insurance Commission, Bureau of Internal Revenue, Department of Finance, Philippine Economic Zone Authority, Board of Investments, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and other government instrumentalities, including local government units and self-regulatory organizations. His work covers giving transactional advice, negotiating, and preparing documents.

Ronald, prior to joining the firm, was a Regional Distributor Executive in Unilever Philippines. He has also served as a member of the Editorial Board of the Philippine Law Journal in 2002 and his co-authored legal paper was published in 2003.

Ronald received his bachelor’s degree in Management from the Ateneo de Manila University in 1999 and his bachelor of laws from the University of the Philippines in 2004. He was admitted to the Philippine bar in 2005 and joined the firm in the same year.

Leo Delano C. Pascua is a partner who is working with the Labor & Immigration, and Litigation & Arbitration departments. His practice primarily focuses on labor and litigation.

Leo handles negotiations for collective bargaining agreements and early resolution of strikes and lock-outs, as well as mediation and conciliation proceedings, wrongful dismissal cases, manpower reduction programs, and organizational restructuring. He looks into the labor aspect of joint ventures, corporate acquisitions, mergers, and consolidations, focusing on management rights and prerogatives vis-à-vis employee tenurial rights and benefits.

Leo appears in criminal and civil cases, representing clients in conflict resolutions either through judicial or quasi-judicial processes or settlements. He also handles appellate work before the National Labor Relations Commission, Court of Appeals, and Supreme Court. He was involved in cases with novel issues that have been decided by the Supreme Court.

Leo received his bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of the Philippines in 1978. He received his bachelor of laws degree from the Ateneo de Manila University in 1984 where he received a Silver Medal for Academic Excellence. He was admitted to the Philippine bar in 1986 and joined the firm in 1988.

Peter L. Pacheco, a partner, is a member of the Project Development & Finance and Intellectual Property departments. His practice focuses on project development and finance, and intellectual property.

Peter handles a broad range of energy and infrastructure projects, including oil, gas, pipelines, power generation, and mineral exploration and production. He has extensive experience in mergers and acquisitions, loan transactions, and credit finance.

Peter has been a member of Romulo’s Intellectual Property Department since 1998. He handles patent and trademark matters before the Intellectual Property Office. He speaks Mandarin.

Peter received his bachelor’s degree in Accountancy from the University of Notre Dame in 1990 and his juris doctor degree from the Ateneo de Manila University in 1996. He was admitted to the Philippine bar in 1997 where he placed 2^nd. He joined the firm in 1997.