Legal Updates

The Philippine Dispute Resolution Center, Inc. (PDRC) held two events on 28 August 2024. The first event was a forum on international arbitration with Dr. Hab. Marcin Piotr Czepelak, Secretary General of Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), as speaker.  In the afternoon, the PDRCI held its Annual General Membership Meeting and blessing of the new PDRC Chambers. Atty. Michael Felipe A. Mercado, Deputy Head of Litigation and Deputy Managing Partner of Siguion Reyna Montecillo Ongsiako Law Offices, attended the events.

During the forum, the PCA and the PDRC signed a cooperation agreement to promote resolution of international disputes through arbitration and other alternative dispute resolution (ADR) methods in the Philippines and the Southeast Asian region. 

The PCA was created in The Hague by treaty in 1899  and is the oldest intergovernmental organization dedicated to international dispute resolution. Notably, PCA served as the registry of the South China Sea Arbitration  between The Republic of Philippines and The People’s Republic of China.

Atty. Mercado is an active member of the PDRC since 2015. He completed the commercial arbitration training seminar conducted by PDRC in the same year. PDRC is a non-stock, non-profit organization incorporated in 1996 out of the Arbitration Committee of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI).  Atty. Mercado was recently accepted as a regular member of the Philippines Institute of Arbitrators (PIArb).

SRMO is committed to being at the forefront of providing excellent legal services in alternative dispute resolution, including arbitration. SRMO actively encourages its lawyers to participate in training activities and join alternative dispute resolution organizations.  SRMO and its lawyers participate in various conferences to ensure that the firm is well-informed and well-versed in the recent developments in alternative dispute resolution, both in the Philippines and at the international level.