Philippines In-House Community Future of Law Forum 2026

Registration & Welcome Breakfast

Coffee, tea, and a selection of breakfast items will be served.

Welcome Remarks

by Rahul Prakash, Publishing Director, In-House Community

Panel Discussion: The Future-Proof In-House Legal Department: Leading through AI, Regulation, and Business Transformation

Moderator: Rahul Prakash, Publishing Director, In-House Community

Panelists:

• Joan A. De Venecia – Fabul, Chief Legal President & First Vice President, PLDT Inc. 
• Natalia G. Nepomuceno, Group Director for Legal Affairs, Cebu Pacific
• Paul T. Salanga, Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel, Maharlika Investment Corporation

Future of Law for General Counsels: Dispute Resolution in the Philippines

Sub-topics:

• Beyond Outsourcing: Optimizing the In-House and External Counsel Partnership
• Beyond the Courtroom: ADR vs. Litigation.
• Developments in Labor Law: Salient Changes under the 2025 NLRC Rules of Procedure

Moderator: Atty. Jeanne Marisse T. Antolin, Partner, Ocampo & Manalo Law Firm

Panelists:

• Atty. Calvin Kohchet-Chua, Chief Legal, Government Relations, and Sustainability Officer, Pru Life Insurance Corporation of UK
• Atty. Iñigo Gabriel C. Pieraz, Senior Legal Counsel and Head of the Legal Department, Philippines AirAsia
• Atty. Juan Victor S. Valdez, Senior Partner, Ocampo & Manalo Law Firm

Morning Networking Break

Coffee, tea, and a selection of light snacks will be served. 

M&A Dealmaking Under Pressure: How In-House Counsels Can Stay Ahead of the Clock Without Getting Buried in the Risk

M&A activity is rebounding, and the market is putting pressure on legal teams to stay ahead of their deal pipelines. General counsels are closing more transactions than ever while operating with lean teams and increasingly complex deal structures. The gap between deal velocity and legal capacity is widening, and the consequences – missed red flags in due diligence, poorly negotiated reps and warranties, and exposure from poorly scoped indemnities – are showing up after signing.

This panel brings together external M&A advisors and general counsels to tackle the operational and strategic realities that they face when M&A volume outpaces bandwidth, and how they can work together to effectively manage these competing demands while, avoiding common deal pitfalls, and remaining strategic business partners.

Panelists will share hard-won perspectives on how to run tighter, smarter deal processes without cutting corners that come back to bite. The session will also examine how legal teams can facilitate deal execution at speed without compromising governance, risk management, or transaction value.

Moderator: Atty. Kristine T. Torres, Partner, Gorriceta Africa Cauton & Saavedra

Panelists:

• Atty. Connie G. Chu, Chief Legal and Compliance Officer, and Group General Counsel, Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Inc.
• Atty. Tanya Justine R. Baldovino-Ranon, Regional Senior Lawyer, Peak Energy Development Philippines Inc.
• Trissy Rogacion, Deals & Corporate Finance Partner, PwC Philippines

Closing Remarks

Networking Lunch

Buffet lunch will be served, offering an assortment of hot dishes, salads, and desserts.