Asia

Energy Law Firm of the Year

Philippines Firm Profile

Puno and Puno is the dominant Firm in the energy practice in the Philippines. The Firm's lead partner and widely recognized expert in energy practice is Mr. Roderico V. Puno, having been in the Technical Working Group of the Committee on Energy of the Philippine Congress representing the private sector that drafted the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001.

The Firm claims the best client base in the energy industry, with clients such as the Manila Electric Company, the largest power distribution utility in the Philippines which has recently entered into power generation; First Gen Corporation, the largest Filipino-owned and controlled independent power producer in the Philippines, which is publicly listed and has an installed capacity of 2,763MW (accounting for approximately 18% of total installed capacity in the Philippines); and the Aboitiz Power Group, which together with its partners has an installed capacity of 2,350MW, 1354MW of which is attributable to Aboitiz Power and which also includes Visayan Electric Company and Davao Light and Power Company, the second and third largest distribution utilities, respectively, in the Philippines and Hedcor, Inc., the largest developer of run-of-river hydropower in the Philippines.

The Firm has been involved in perhaps the most number of bids in connection with the privatization by the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation of the generation assets owned by the National Power Corporation, having been involved almost all technologies in projects where the Firm was involved from the commencement of the due diligence process, to the actual bidding, until the closing of the transaction, actual takeover of the assets, and financing. The Firm has represented local and international consortiums in their investments

in or bids for a variety of energy projects, such as natural gas plants, hydroelectric power plants, geothermal power plants, diesel power plants and water supply projects. The work the Firm performs for these clients is comprehensive and includes, among others:

• Negotiating, drafting, closing and advising on power purchase agreements/energy

conversion

agreements, supply and turn-key construction contracts, EPC/O&M contracts, and other

related

agreements, including project financing documents;

• Structuring investments in power projects, and negotiation, drafting, closing and advising on joint venture agreements, shareholders' agreements, sale and purchase agreements, and other similar agreements;

• Formulating and evaluating bids and bidding procedures and requirements;

• Obtaining licenses, permits, approvals and consents in compliance with environmental and other regulatory requirements;

• Registering foreign investments and foreign loans with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas;

• Conducting due diligence on project agreements; real property and rights-of way; franchises, permits, licenses and other

The Firm has been involved in perhaps the most number of bids in connection with the privatization by the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation of the generation assets owned by the National Power Corporation

Contact: regulatory requirements;

environmental compliance; insurance; litigation; employment standards; and general corporate matters relating to project companies; and

• Conducting preliminary legal studies on the development, operations and financing of power projects.

Roderico V. Puno – Senior Partner Tel: (632) 631-1261 to 64 Email: rvpuno@punolaw.com Website: www.punolaw.com

Lawyer Monthly Legal Awards 2012

103