Mr. Vergara heads the Firm’s Banking & Finance practice group. Mr. Vergara has been keen on project finance and has considerable exposure in that area. Early involvement in the Build Operate Transfer (BOT) and Build Own Operate (BOO) concessions of the government resulted in extensive legal advisories on project finance transactions covering the first wave of power sector infrastructure projects under the original iteration of the Philippine BOT Law. Counseling the lenders on the financing of the nationwide computerization projects of the Land Transportation Office and the Land Registration Authority likewise under BOT and BOO concessions followed. Project finance work continues under the now named Public Private Partnership (PPP) projects in the framework of the Philippine Amended BOT Law. Mr. Vergara regularly provides advice to client private and government banks and financial institutions in loan syndications and in corporate bonds and notes issuances. Recently, he advised local lenders in the loan syndications for the construction and operation of the expressway in north Luzon and the redevelopment of the harbor port for the domestic passenger terminal in Manila, both priority projects of the government.

Mr. Vergara has been recognized by the Asia Legal 500 in the fields of banking and finance, and in capital markets.

Mr. Vergara is also involved in the firm’s mergers & acquisition (M&A) practice, having counseled and advised on the consolidation of the expressways in south Luzon. In addition, as part of the Firm’s business formation and foreign investments practice, Mr. Vergara provides dedicated advice to our international relationship firms on global corporate solutions for multinational corporate clients on cross-border issues, particularly on equity compensation.

Prior to joining the Firm in 2006, Mr. Vergara was a partner at Picazo Buyco Tan Fider & Santos.

Skills & Experiences

• Banking and Finance
• Corporate Finance
• Securities
• Mergers & Acquisitions
• Business Formation & Foreign Investment

Education

• Ateneo de Manila University, Juris Doctor (1992)
• Ateneo de Manila University, B.S. Legal Management (1988)

Affiliations

• Member, Integrated Bar of the Philippines