gwyneth-s-ong

Gwyneth S. Ong

Partner | Co-Head, Capital Markets | Co-Head, Projects & Energy | Co-Head, Anti-Trust and Competition

GWYNETH S. ONG

Key Practice

  • Capital Markets
  • Projects and Energy
  • Banking and Finance
  • Mergers & Acquisitions
  • Anti-Trust and Competition
  • Corporate Services

Qualifications

  • Admission to Bar (2004)
  • University of the Philippines, Bachelor of Laws, Order of the Purple Feather (2003)
  • Ateneo de Manila University, B.S. Legal Management (1999

Gwyneth is a member of the Firm’s Corporate and Commercial Group, heading the Firm’s specialized areas of Anti-Trust and Competition and Corporate Services, and co-heading the Firm’s Capital Markets and Projects & Energy practice groups.

Gwyneth specializes in and has extensive experience in capital market transactions having handled a whole range of securities transactions involving both equity offerings and debt securities issuances. With the implementation of the recently revised regulations of the Real Estate Investment Trusts (REIT) law, she is one of the pioneer lawyers in the Philippines handling REIT projects. Gwyneth is ranked Next Generation Partner by The Legal500 Asia Pacific in the field of Capital Markets.

She is also well versed in infrastructure projects under the Public-Private Partnership program of the government as she assisted the Firm’s client in biddings leading to, among others, the award of an international airport project and an integrated transport terminal project. Also included in her wheelhouse are mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures and project finance.

Throughout her more than a decade in practice, Gwyneth has handled clients in various industries including business process outsourcing, real estate development, manufacturing, construction, renewable energy, infrastructure, investments and banking, routinely assisting and counselling them on legal and regulatory issues.

Prior to joining the Firm, Gwyneth was an associate at Picazo Buyco Tan Fider & Santos Law Office until 2006. She was also legal counsel at Philweb Corporation and foreign legal consultant in Makes & Partners in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Banking & Financing

  • Acted as counsel to issuer Sta. Lucia Land Inc. (PLC) in its Php5.0 billion notes facility agreement arranged by China Bank Capital Corporation.
  • Advised Sta. Lucia Land Inc. (PLC) on its Php7 billion notes facility arranged by RCBC Capital Corporation

Capital Markets

  • Acted as counsel to DDMP REIT, INC. on its initial public offer (IPO) of common shares with total offer size of Php14.71 billion, one of the first real estate investment trust (REIT) listings in the Philippines.
  • One of the few IPOs in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, acted as counsel to MerryMart Consumer Corp. (MerryMart), a consumer focused retail company principally engaged in the operation of retail stores in the supermarket and household essentials categories.
  • Acted for DoubleDragon Properties Corp. in the USD75,000,000 bond offering of its wholly-owned subsidiary which it listed with the Singapore Stock Exchange.
  • Acted as counsel to DoubleDragon Properties Corporation (PLC) relating to its follow-on offering and sale of 135 million common shares
  • Acted as counsel to Citicore Energy REIT Corp. (CREIT) on its initial public offer (IPO) of common shares with total offer size of Php6.4 billion. CREIT is the first renewable energy-focused REIT in the Philippines

Projects & Energy

  • Acted as counsel to Aboitiz Infracapital, Inc. in its investment agreement with Terra Digital Pte. Ltd. in relation to the acquisition, construction, development and operation of at least 5,000 macro towers all over the Philippines.
  • Acted as counsel for Citicore Power Inc., an affiliate of publicly-listed company Megawide Construction Corporation, in its acquisition of five operating renewable energy generation plants located in Luzon and Mindanao with a total capacity of approximately 59.9 MW installed capacity.
  • Represented Citicore Renewable Energy Corporation an affiliate of PSE-listed, Megawide Construction Corporation, in establishing a joint venture with Ace Endeavor, Inc., a subsidiary of the AC Energy Philippines which is listed with the PSE and a member of the Ayala Group of Companies for a project involved establishing the framework for the joint development, ownership and operation of solar and other renewable power plants in the Philippines

Mergers & Acquisition

  • Advised a Hong-Kong based listed company in its acquisition of majority ownership of a Philippine company (PLC) involved in the development of an integrated hotel and casino project in Manila Bay Reclamation Area

The Asia Pacific Legal 500

  • Capital Markets – Next Generation Partner (2021-2023), Recommended
  • Lawyer (2015, 2021-2023)
  • Projects and Energy – Recommended Lawyer (2021, 2023)
  • Corporate and M&A – Recommended Lawyer (2022)

‘Gwyneth Ong stood out as the partner leading the charge in all our transactions. She is a ‘hands-on’ partner who thoroughly reviews our paperwork and negotiates directly with regulators involved. She understands the company’s needs and strategies and constantly points out current and future issues and opportunities in light of our plans and strategy‘.

‘Each partner has an in-depth knowledge and experience in the capital markets. All named partners Mark Vergara; Gwyneth Ong and Janice Co are easy to work with and has displayed the highest standards of professionalism and personal attention’.

‘Manuel Z Gonzalez Gwyneth S Ong Janice L Co: All three of them, working as a team, are dedicated to their client’s goals, work tirelessly to ensure that the client’s objectives are achieved, and they are dutiful and have a keen eye for detail in the documentation of the agreements that are reached between the seller and buyer sides.’

‘Manuel Gonzalez and Gwyneth S Ong provide up to date and relevant legal advise that are important to the client’s IP interests and decision-making, as well as in charting the course of the company’s business.’

‘Martinez Vergara Gonzalez & Serrano’s lawyers have ‘practical knowledge and a proactive approach’. The ‘driven and dynamic’ Manuel Gonzalez heads the department which includes Gwyneth Ong, who is ‘diligent and very easy to work with’.’

  • Member, Integrated Bar of the Philippines