Ms Arlene Maneja > SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan > Manila, Philippines > Lawyer Profile
SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan Offices

SYCIPLAW CENTER, 105 PASEO DE ROXAS
1226 MAKATI CITY
METRO MANILA 1226
Philippines
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Ms Arlene Maneja

Work Department
Banking, Finance & Securities; Special Projects; Litigation.
Position
Arlene M. Maneja is a partner in SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan specializing in the practice areas of Banking, Finance & Securities, Special Projects, as well as Litigation and Alternative Dispute Resolution.
She has led due diligence teams in several high-value transactions and assisted in rendering regulatory, transaction and business advice in connection with, as well as in documentation of, deals involving commercial lending, acquisitions, investments and divestments, capital restructuring, project financing and corporate reorganizations in, among others, the real estate, public infrastructure, oil and gas, mining and power/energy industries.
Her recent projects include:
- Acquisition by the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company of controlling interest in Digital Telecommunications Phils., Inc.;
- Acquisition by Century Pacific Group of substantial equity interest in Arthaland Corporation—a real property development company;
- Sale of South Star Drug, Inc., a chain of retail drugstores;
- Php 75 Billion Syndicated Loan to the National Food Authority;
- Php 75 Billion Syndicated Loan to the Power Sector Asset and Liabilities Management Corporation; and
- US$ 270 Million project financing of a 2×100 MW coal-fired power plant in Naga City.
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Career
Prior to joining SyCipLaw, she was an associate at the Siguion Reyna Montecillo & Ongsiako, the oldest law firm in the Philippines, specializing in the practice areas of labor and civil litigation. She represented clients in negotiations and litigations relating to collective bargaining agreements, downsizing and rightsizing activities, corporate reorganizations, employee termination and strike contingencies.
Ms. Maneja has taught Statutory Construction, Legal Research & Bibliography, Roman Law, Constitutional Law and Torts & Damages in the UST Faculty of Civil Law, as well as Constitutional Law in the San Sebastian College of Law. She has also delivered lectures regarding techniques in bar review and examinations, as well as arbitration.
Apart from legal practice, she has acted as consultant to a number of firms in relation to industry studies, feasibility and business plans, marketing and branding strategy, as well as business model formulation in the telecommunications, outsourcing, retail and technology industries.
Education
Ms. Maneja obtained her AB Legal Management (1998, cum laude) and Bachelor of Laws (2002, magna cum laude) from the University of Santo Tomas on full scholarship. She ranked 1st place in the 2002 Philippine Bar Examinations and was admitted in the Philippine Bar in 2003. She also obtained an MBA from the Asian Institute of Management on full scholarship and attended The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania as an international exchange student.
Lawyer Rankings
Philippines > Corporate and M&A
(Leading partners)SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan’s practice is broad ranging, advising on matters spanning sectors from insurance and construction, to consumer goods and services. Its workload includes advising well-known domestic and international clients on all aspects of acquisitions, sales, investments and joint ventures, frequently in cross-jurisdictional contexts where ultra-high-values are involved. Rocky Alejandro L. Reyes helms the group, key practitioners in which include Arlene M. Maneja who ‘is very experienced in cross-border M&A’ and is also well regarded for her regulatory experience. Hector De Leon, Jr. is also noteworthy and specialises in the remit of corporate and M&A work across the range of industries, while Imelda A. Manguiat specialises in M&A, power, projects and foreign investments.
Philippines > Antitrust and competition
(Leading partners)SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan‘s practice is noted for advising on the competition aspects of joint ventures and M&A, including merger filings with the PCC. Its workload spans a wide array of sectors, from pharma, to consumer goods and services, to mining. Rocky Alejandro L. Reyes leads the team. Key practitioners include Philbert E. Varona, who assists clients with M&A and securities issuances matters, Arlene M. Maneja, and Melyjane Bertillo-Ancheta ,who is equipped to handle competition aspects of significant investments and acquisitions.
Philippines > Transport
The transport practice at SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan has a strong reputation for its expertise in shipping-related matters and assists a broad range of maritime clients. Its high-value and frequently cross-jurisdictional workload features matters regarding construction and materials, hardware and electronics, and transportation. Investigating casualties and collisions is also a prominent area of focus for the team, in addition to aviation matters, including financing, compliance, leasing and pre-litigation cases. The team is led by disputes specialist Russel Rodriguez, Melyjane Bertillo-Ancheta who handles the remit of transport-related transactions, and the experienced Arlene M. Maneja. Bhong Paulo Macasaet, whose specialisms cover power, infrastructure, aviation and finance.
Philippines > Capital markets
Acquisition and project financing, securities listings and issuances, and corporate notes and refinancings are all areas of expertise for SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan‘s practice. The team has experience acting for foreign and local lenders and financial institutions, as well as borrowers and issuers. Philbert E. Varona helms the group and is experienced in handling transactional and regulatory work in relation to banking, finance and securities. Arlene M. Maneja and Franco Aristotle Larcina are both key practitioners who are considered ‘very professional and intelligent’ by clients. Joan Mae To-Conejos is also notable.
Lawyer Rankings
- Antitrust and competition Philippines
- Corporate and M&A Philippines
- Leading partners Philippines > Antitrust and competition
- Leading partners Philippines > Corporate and M&A
- Transport Philippines
- Capital markets Philippines
Top Tier Firm Rankings
- Antitrust and competition
- Banking and finance
- Corporate and M&A
- Dispute resolution
- Intellectual property
- Labour and employment (including immigration)
- Projects and energy
- Real estate and construction
- Tax
- TMT
- Transport