Ms Gwyneth Ong > Martinez Vergara & Gonzalez Sociedad > Manila, Philippines > Lawyer Profile

Martinez Vergara & Gonzalez Sociedad
33RD FLOOR, THE ORIENT SQUARE
F. ORTIGAS JR. ROAD, ORTIGAS CENTER
1600 PASIG CITY, METRO MANILA
Philippines

Work Department

Capital Markets; Projects and Energy; Banking and Finance

Position

Partner

Career

Ms. Ong represents both local and foreign clients in various industries such as business process outsourcing, real estate development, manufacturing, construction, securities, banking and investment houses. She regularly advises these clients in all aspects of commercial dealings such as regulatory compliance matters of the Securities and Exchange Comission, Philippine Stock Exchange and Philippine Economic Zone Authorites. In addition to servicing the general corporate legal matters of these clients, she regularly handles their corporate transactions including mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, tax advisory and project finance.

Ms. Ong also has extensive experience in a broad range of securities and capital market transactions. She has been actively involved in numerous debt and equity transactions including initial public offerings, follow on and rights offerings as well as loans and corporate notes issuance. She is also well versed in work involving biddings for infrastructure projects under the Public-Private Partnership program of the government.

After being consistently recognized as a Recommended Lawyer, Ms. Ong has been ranked as a Next Generation Partner in Capital Markets by the Legal500.

Prior to joining the Firm, Ms. Ong 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.

Languages

English; Filipino

Memberships

Integrated Bar of the Philippines

Education

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

Lawyer Rankings

Philippines > Projects and energy

The practice at Martinez Vergara & Gonzalez Sociedad is collectively led by Manuel Gonzalez; Erika Paulino and Gwyneth Ong. It has particular expertise in both traditional and renewable power, and in infrastructure projects work. The agile team has advised several private project proponents and financiers on a range of infrastructure, energy and natural resources projects. It is skilled in helping sponsors and bidders on issues relating to the bidding processes, and on other matters involving the relevant regulatory authorities. The group has been actively involved in a number of project financings relating to infrastructure and energy projects, and has acted as counsel to lender-banks, financial institutions and sponsors. Mark Vergara is another key contact, who heads the firm’s banking & finance practice group, and has considerable expertise in project financing.

Philippines > Real estate and construction

Noted for its transactional real estate capabilities, Martinez Vergara & Gonzalez Sociedad assists private project proponents and financiers on energy and natural resources, housing, and public infrastructure projects. Janice Co leads the department; Manuel Gonzalez is adept in project finance and Erika Paulino handles real estate portfolio divestments. Gwyneth Ong caters to real estate developments, while Mark Vergara is also a name to note.

Philippines > Capital markets

(Next Generation Partners)

Gwyneth Ong  – Martinez Vergara & Gonzalez Sociedad

Manuel Gonzalez heads the practice at Martinez Vergara & Gonzalez Sociedad, which has particular strength in equity capital markets. The team has handled a wide spectrum of securities-related issues ranging from IPOs, follow-on and rights offers, to tender offers and the delisting of companies. It is also well placed to advise on reverse takeovers of publicly listed firms, and on the issue of global depositary receipts. In addition, the group is highly regarded for its expertise in debt capital markets, where it acts as counsel to domestic financial institutions and issuers on the issue of corporate notes, bonds and other debt instruments. Another core area of focus for the practice is advising on real estate investment trusts (REITs). Gwyneth Ong is highly sought after for her advice on the various commercial and regulatory requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Philippine Stock Exchange and the Philippine Economic Zone Authorities. Janice Co and Mark Vergara are further notable key members of the team.