The Department of Energy (“DOE”) issued on 26 April 2021 its Advisory on the Implementation of DOE Department Circular No. DC2020-01-0001 (“DC2020-01-0001”) and Other Concerns Relative to Direct Connection Arrangements of an Electricity End-User (the “Advisory’).   DC2020-01-0001 prescribes the rules governing the review and evaluation of direct connection applications of industrial, commercial and other

The Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) issued on 23 April 2021 SEC Memorandum Circular No. 7, series of 2021 (“MC 7-21”), which provides for the rules on calling for Special Stockholders’ Meetings for Publicly Listed Companies (“PLCs”). Right to Call for a Special Stockholders’ Meeting Any number of shareholders of a PLC (“Qualifying Shareholders”) who

The Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) issued a Notice dated 31 March 2021 extending the deadline for the submission of the General Information Sheets (“GIS”) to all corporations following the implementation of enhanced community quarantine in the National Capital Region and its neighboring provinces, and the implementation of the Online Submission Tool (“OST”). Under the

The Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) has issued SEC Memorandum Circular No. 4, series of 2021 (“MC No. 4”) which amended the covered institutions in the 2018 Guidelines on Anti-Money-Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism for SEC Covered Institutions (“2018 AML/CFT Guidelines”). Section 1 of MC No. 4 amended Section 1.2 of the 2018

President Rodrigo Duterte signed Executive Order 130 (“EO 130”) on 14 April 2021, lifting a nine (9)-year moratorium and allowing the Government to enter into new agreements concerning mineral production with qualified persons, subject to the latter’s compliance with the relevant mining laws and regulations.   EO 130 amended Section 4 of Executive Order No.

Cruz Marcelo & Tenefrancia’s Senior Partner and Head of its Intellectual Property Department Susan Villanueva shares her insights in an article in Asia IP regarding the trademark dispute between Filipino businessman Victor Martin Soriano and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.   Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, through their legal

The Supreme Court recently issued A.M. No. 19-10-SC or the Guidelines for the Conduct of Court-Annexed Mediation (“CAM”) and Judicial Dispute Resolution (“JDR”) in Civil Cases (“Guidelines”) dated 09 February 2021 in view of the amendments to the Rules of Civil Procedure which became effective in May 2020. CAM and JDR are confidential mediation or

The Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) issued Memorandum Circular No. 2, series of 2021 (“MC 2-2021”), clarifying the period of submission by Financing Companies (“FC”) and Lending Companies (“LCs”) of the sworn certification of compliance with SEC Memorandum Circular 18-2019 (“MC 18-2019”). MC 2-2021 took effect on 18 February 2021.   Under MC 2-2021, FCs

Cruz Marcelo & Tenefrancia (“CMT”) has been recognized as one of the world’s leading trademark firms in the 2021 edition of World Trademark Review 1000 (“WTR 1000”). The WTR 1000 is a directory of trademark practices and practitioners for those seeking world-class legal trademark expertise. Its rankings are arrived at yearly through an extensive qualitative

Cruz Marcelo & Tenefrancia (CMT) was named Philippines Copyright Firm of the Year in the 2020 Asia IP Awards, the 6th time it has received this distinction, as it has previously been recognized from 2014-2018. The Asia IP Awards honor the very best law firms from around the region for demonstrating the highest standards in intellectual