Category Archives: Announcements

Date May 09, 2019

MVGS Law extends pro bono legal services to The PARC FoundationDate May 09, 2019

On 12 April 2019, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between The Performing Arts and Recreation Center Foundation, Inc. (The PARC Foundation) and Martinez Vergara Gonzalez & Serrano (MVGS). Through said MOU, MVGS shall extend corporate legal services to The PARC Foundation on a pro bono basis.

The PARC Foundation is now the second organization that can avail of free legal service from MVGS after the firm adopted its formal policy on providing pro bono services in 2018 as part of its professional responsibility to extend legal services and representation to non-governmental organizations (NGOs) who do not have immediate access to corporate legal services. With the agreement with The PARC Foundation, MVGS hopes to make its services available to deserving NGOs, in order to address their peculiar requirements in the fields of taxation, labor, immigration, intellectual property, corporate governance, including legal advisory in transactions with funders and donors.

The PARC Foundation is a non-stock non-profit organization established to engage in the development and support of the performing arts in the Philippines, by enabling Filipino artists to succeed locally and worldwide. MVGS assisted its founder, the late artist, pianist and young entrepreneur, Wilmer Guido, in setting up the foundation in 2015. Currently, the foundation is headed by Wilmer’s co-founder, Issay Nodalo.

During the simple signing ceremonies held at PARC’s creative hub in San Juan City, one of the foundation’s principal supporter and head of the Guido Group of Companies, William Guido, expressed his continued support to the foundation, as a way of continuing the advocacy of his son, Wilmer, to create a home where Filipino artists can hone and showcase their talents.

Atty. Mark Vergara and Atty. Rosalia Bartolome-Alejo signed the MOU on behalf of MVGS, while Mr. William Guido and Ms. Issay Nodalo signed it on behalf of The PARC Foundation.

Date January 24, 2019

Author Atty. Eduardo A. Martinez  

This article was originally published at CODE-NGO’s Facebook page

January 2019, PASIG CITY.

The Caucus of Development NGO Networks (CODE-NGO) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Martinez Vergara Gonzalez & Serrano (MVGS). Through the MOU, MVGS will extend corporate legal services to CODE-NGO and its members on a pro-bono basis.

MVGS recently adopted a formal policy on providing pro bono services as part of its professional responsibility to extend legal services and representation to non-governmental organizations (NGOs) who do not have ready access to corporate legal services. Having dealt with a few NGOs, MVGS realized that there are few law firms and legal practitioners that make their services available in the fields of taxation, labor, immigration, intellectual property, corporate governance, including legal advisory on transactions with funders and other stakeholders involved in the work of NGOs.

We are happy to finally be able to access pro bono legal advice on matters concerning NGO governance, regulation and taxation from MVGS and seek help with legal research to support our policy advocacies, says CODE-NGO Executive Director Roselle S. Rasay.

MVGS partnered with CODE-NGO because it sees the organization as uniquely positioned to help the Firm reach out to more NGOs. We see this partnership as an excellent platform to provide legal guidance to NGOs and the causes they promote. Working with CODE-NGO will contribute to the professional growth of the Firm’s lawyers, by providing them insights on social, political and environmental issues, as well as developing in them the value of giving back to the community, says MVGS Managing Partner, Atty. Elmer B. Serrano.

Atty. Serrano and Partner, Atty. Rosalia Bartolome-Alejo, signed the MOU on behalf of MVGS while Ms. Rasay and Finance and Administrative Manager Gigi Arroyo signed it on behalf of CODE-NGO.

Date June 02, 2015

Author Atty. Rosalia S. Bartolome-Alejo  

Martinez Vergara Gonzalez & Serrano (MVGS) is pleased to announce its participation in FinanceAsia’s forum entitled Philippines Capital Markets Forum to be held in HongKong on June 23, 2015. 

The forum will focus on the discussions of key issues and opportunities within the Philippine capital markets, and will be led by the Department of Finance and Secretary Cesar V. Purisima. Participants include the Philippine Bureau of Treasury, the PPP Center, and representatives from the private and financial sectors.

MVGS is a Legal Sponsor to this event, with Atty. Manuel Z. Gonzalez, Head of the Capital Markets Practice Group, as one of the speakers and moderator. 

It is expected that this forum will be attended by industry leaders in the Philippines, as well as potential investors, private equity funds, investment banks and other financial institutions. Participants will exchange insights into the Philippine business environment which has been considered as one of the most promising in Asia in terms of investment destination.  

For further details on the forum, please see: http://www.philippinescapitalmarkets.com/home

Date September 28, 2014

Author Atty. Manuel Z. Gonzalez  

MVGS acted as sole legal counsel to Century Canning Corporation (“CCC”), parent company of Century Pacific Food, Inc. (“CPFI”) in this transaction with GIC. CPFI did not employ foreign counsel for this deal.

Manuel Z. Gonzalez, Head of the Capital Markets Practice Group of MVGS, was the Partner principally involved in the transaction. Essentially the role of MVGS was to assist CCC, parent of CPFI, in providing timely responses to GIC and its counsels on due diligence questions/issues raised, as well as the review and negotiation of the terms of the transaction. MVGS likewise provided responses/explanations to GIC on the newly completed corporate restructuring exercise undertaken by the Century Pacific Group of Companies in the Philippines (MVGS was legal counsel to the Century Pacific Group of Companies in the restructuring exercise) of which both CCC and CPFI are members.

MVGS utilized its experience and expertise in capital markets regulation to provide advice on the deal structure with GIC. Although CCC was the ultimate vehicle that entered into agreement with GIC, this investment into CCC was convertible into shares of stock of CPFI. What added some complexity to the deal was the fact that CPFI at the time was going through the process of registration and listing of its shares for an Initial Public Offering (IPO) with the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission and the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) (MVGS was also legal counsel to CPFI for the IPO). Hence, the deal with GIC had to be carefully timed and undertaken in harmony with all regulations provided under the Securities Regulation Code of the Philippines and the PSE Listing Rule.

The investment of GIC had to be completed within a relatively short window due to the CPFI IPO. The transaction was completed in record time, prior to the actual listing of the CPFI with the PSE.

We have included an excerpt of the Firm’s write-up of its recent projects in Capital Markets for more detailed information. LM

Date June 15, 2014

Author Atty. Mark O. Vergara  M and A Law Firm of the Year – the Philippines
MARTINEZ VERGARA GONZALEZ & SERRANO

The Philippine economy has experienced exceptional growth in the past few years. Leading law firm Martinez Vergara Gonzalez & Serrano (MVGS) has shared that journey. MVGS was formed in 2006 through the dynamic mix of young experts in the legal profession. The young team has since then managed to bring MVGS to the forefront of a growing legal environment previously dominated by large and older law firms. 

The journey of MVGS to its position as a leading and tiered commercial law firm in the Philippines is attributed to its ability to adopt fresh, innovative and creative ways of addressing client concerns.  This critical attitude manifests in the Firm’s successful projects as MVGS prides itself with a client roster that includes the Philippines’ biggest conglomerates and major players across various industries.

The Firm boasts of a much sought-after practice in M&A, projects & energy, capital markets and corporate finance.  In the capital markets, the Firm has advised on the first two initial public offerings at the Philippine Stock Exchange for 2014, with a third offering just completing regulatory approvals.

The Firm is at the helm of the private sector’s participation in the Philippine Government’s Public-Private Partnership (PPP) program, a cornerstone of the Aquino Administration’s development agenda. Since December 2011, of the seven PPP projects awarded, the Firm advised on three – the Mactan-Cebu International Airport, the School Infrastructure Project of the DepEd, and the Modernization of the Philippine Orthopedic Center, with combined local and foreign investments of about US$1.2 billion.

In the area of project finance, the Firm has in the past two years advised on financing projects with combined value of US$1.75 billion to fund a broad spectrum of industries, including power generation, water utilities, renewable energy, toll roads, airports and other infrastructure projects.

MVGS is delighted and appreciates its recognition as M&A Law Firm of the Year. The award recognizes the Firm’s significant role in the consolidation of the Philippine banking industry. MVGS is privileged to advise the Philippines’ largest bank, BDO Unibank, Inc. in its decade-long M&A deals, including its merger with Equitable-PCI Bank, and acquisitions of American Express Bank, GE Money Bank and Citibank Savings Inc.

MVGS believes in providing value to its clients and this means asking the right questions, giving timely and responsive solutions, and facilitating seamless execution through adequate preparation. MVGS promotes a team culture, offering an environment for constant training, mutual learning and feedback. Shared experience and expertise prepare its junior members to complement senior lawyers.

The Firm will bring this culture to the coming ASEAN Integration in 2015.  The Partners believe that this will be the Firm’s biggest challenge but also its biggest opportunity. The challenge is for MVGS to remain competitive in order to advise both local and foreign clients in entering the global market.