WORK EXPERIENCE:
Cruz-Angeles Law Office
July 2010 to present
Handles litigation, corporate consultancy, bargaining and negotiation.
Specialties include criminal, torts, civil and public interest litigation.
Recent cases include court martial of Oakwood, Fort Bonifacio and Manila Peninsula
incidents involving military officers, protection of heritage sites and
environmental suits as well as landmark litigation on medical malpractice.
VICE CHAIRMAN, National
Committee on Monuments and Sites
January 2011 to present
Formulates policy, evaluates grants, and initiates litigation for the
protection, preservation and perpetuation of historical property.
PARTNER
January 2008 - July 2010
Guevarra, Cruz-Angeles and Calunsag Law Office
COMMISSIONER FOR CULTURAL
HERITAGE
CHAIRMAN SUBCOMMISSION ON
CULTURAL HERITAGE
CHAIRMAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE ON
MONUMENTS AND SITES
National Commission for Culture
and the Arts (NCCA)
Sept 2004 - Dec 2007
As Commissioner and member of the NCCA Board, creates policy and
reviews grant applications for the National Endowment Fund for Culture and the
Arts. Currently leads and assists government efforts to protect heritage and
cultural property, while creating awareness and encouraging economic opportunities
for sustainable development in cultural work.
As member of the National Committee on Monuments and Sites, initiates
the creation of policy on heritage conservation and protection, provides emergency
technical assistance to heritage property in danger and initiates projects to
create awareness and protection of heritage sites. Drafts and approves drafts
of legislation proposed by the agency. Provides expertise to legislative bodies
on culture related legislation. Heads the national committee to investigate and
recommend declarations of World Heritage Sites.
Assists in the enforcement of the protective culture-related laws such
as, but not limited to destruction of heritage, illicit trafficking of cultural
property and illegal exploitation of traditional cultural communities’ tangible
and intangible heritage.
COLUMNIST Art and Law
Inquirer.net - Philippine Daily
Inquirer online
October 2007 - 2009
Writes a twice monthly opinion column with political, social
commentary, with emphasis on heritage, culture and arts issues and legal
analyses of political events.
PARTNER, Angeles and Paler Law
Office
July 1999 - December 2007
National Museum Building, P. Burgos, corner Finance Road, Ermita,
Manila
LEGAL CONSULTANT, National
Museum
March 2003 - Present
Duties include drafting the Permits System of Cultural Property
(Republic Act No. 4846), providing legal advice, Drafting and Conceptualizing the
systems implementing the Art Forgeries Act, Executing protective systems for
conservation of archeological sites and movable cultural property (under the Cultural
Properties Protection and Preservation Act), and assists in the enforcement of
laws against illicit trafficking of cultural property and violations of the
culture-related provisions of the Indigenous People’s Rights Act.
FACULTY/LECTURER, Institute for
Cultural and Arts Management
February 2002 - 2005
Teaches legal obligations of heritage management, legal aspects of arts
management, teaches obligations and contracts pertinent to arts and cultural
management, teaches specific problems related to the enforcement of the
Intellectual Property Code and related laws, and teaches related laws for
management of culture and arts organizations (tax, obligations and contract,
corporations)
PROJECT CONSULTANT for the Implementing
Rules and Regulations
National Historical Institute
August 2002
Duty was to conceptualize and draft the legal framework and working
systems for the National Historical Institute’s Restorations Division, taking
into consideration its obligation to declare historical sites and supervise
their restorations
NATIONAL MUSEUM PROJECT
CONSULTANT for the Implementing Rules and Regulations
October 2002
Duty was to conceptualize and draft the legal framework and working
systems for the National Museum under its new charter of 1998, taking into
consideration all its legal obligations under various laws such as the Art
Forgeries Act, the Cultural Properties Protection and Preservations Act and the
Philippine Environmental Policy
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR & LEGAL
COUNSEL, Heritage Conservation Society, Inc.
Ground Floor, Museo Pambata, Roxas Boulevard corner South Drive, Ermita,
Manila
August 2001 - December 2002
Duties included administrative management, management of legal
obligations, membership management and the institution of fund raisers. Accomplished 300 per cent increase in
membership and establishment of regular fundraisers and corporate donors,
establishment of records system and library while undertaking advocacy and
awareness campaigns, as well as providing legal expertise to legislators on
national and local levels for drafting of heritage protection laws. Filed advocacy suits in the protection and
preservation of historic and archeological sites as the Mehan Gardens (Manila),
Balayan Church (Batangas) and the Huluga Open Archeological Site (Cagayan de
Oro). These ground-breaking suits helped
establish cultural sites as protected sites under the Philippine Environmental
Policy and the Environmental Impact Assessment laws.
COLUMNIST, Manila Meteor
E. Rodriguez Avenue corner Morato St., New Manila, Quezon City
June 2001 - December 2001
Wrote column on the general practice of law, with commentary on Supreme
Court decisions, laws and proposed legislations, as well as on the legal
aspects of cultural and arts management.
Commentary also included evaluations of Philippine cultural policies.
LEGAL CONSULTANT, National
Commission for Culture and the Arts
633 General Luna St., Intramuros, Manila
July 1998 - March 2002
Spearheaded the practice of Culture and Arts Law. Drafted the
Implementing Rules and Regulations of the National Commission for Culture and
the Arts, provided assistance in conflict resolution for the various volunteers
and employees, provided advice on legal aspects of the administration of the
agency as well as in creating cultural policy.
Handled cases involving quo warranto, and the drafting of opinions on
cases appealed by the various cultural agencies under the administration of the
NCCA, such as the Records Management and Archives Office, the National
Historical Institute, the National Library and the National Museum. Assisted in
providing protective measures for the management of the Gawad Manlilikha ng
Bayan or National Living Treasures Awards.
Assisted in upgrading benefits of National Artists. Corrected and improved contract negotiations
and drafting within the agency in relation to the National Endowment Fund
grants and institutionalized measures to improve liquidation and collections of
defaulted accounts. Initiated litigation
efforts to protect culture and arts with emphasis on heritage conservation and
protection of cultural communities.
LEGAL CONSULTANT FOR TAX, Film
Academy of the Philippines
Project for Proposed Legislation
June 1999 - December 1999
Created legislation for reduction of amusement taxes,
institutionalization of recognition of critically acclaimed films with corresponding
financial rebates, the institution of a film archives and other related
benefits for the movie industry.
EDUCATION:
1998 ADMITTED
TO THE PHILIPPINE BAR
1993 – 1997 BACHELOR OF
LAWS
UNIVERSITY
OF THE PHILIPPINES
College
of Law
Diliman,
Quezon City
1985 – 1987 AB
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS (Minor)
Major
Track: International Peace, Conflict and Security,
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA, Minneapolis Campus, Minneapolis, MN, USA
(to be completed)
1982 – 1993 AB LINGUISTICS
Major:
German Language
Minors:
Spanish Language, Northern Philippine Languages and English History
UNIVERSITY
OF THE PHILIPPINES,
College
of Social Sciences and Philosophy,
Diliman,
Quezon City
2002 CERTIFICATION in Conservation
United
Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR)
Workshop
for Managers of World heritage Sites, 2002, Hiroshima, Japan
1981 – 1982 Rotary
Exchange Student
ROBERTSON
HIGH SCHOOL
Las
Vegas, New Mexico, USA
1978 – 1981 Maryknoll High
School
Katipunan
Road, Quezon City
1971 – 1978 Maryknoll
Grade School
Katipunan
Road, Quezon City
1969 1971 Maryknoll
Child Study Center
Katipunan
Road, Quezon City
EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS:
1997 Outstanding
Intern, Office of Legal Aid
UNIVERSITY
OF THE PHILIPPINES
1994-1997 Team Captain,
UP Law Debate Team
1995-1997 Student
Coach, UP Law Debate Team
1996 Winner,
Dr. Jose Rizal Centennial Moot Court Competition, Manila
1995 Best Debater, Winning Team, San Carlos University
1995 Best Debater, Winning Team, San Carlos University
Quaricentennial
Debate Competition, Cebu City
1994 Best Debater, Association of Southeast Asian Nations
Intervarsity
Debates, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
1993 Best
Debater, Winning Team,
Siliman
University Anniversary Debates, Dumaguete City
AFFILIATIONS:
Legal Counsel, Pilipino.org
2007 to present
A Socio-civic organization involved in community organizing, cultural
and political awareness, this NGO works in various communities to assist in
nation-building.
Moot Court NGO
2006 to present Member
Currently being organized with two other members, this organization has
conducted lectures with various law schools on competitive moot court. Its members were former Deputy National
Administrators of the Philip C. Jessup International Moot Court Competition for
the Philippine Rounds and were administrators of the National Moot Court
Competition sponsored by the Supreme Court in its Centenary Celebration.
Philippine Maritime Archeology
Foundation
2003 to present Board Member
Philippine accredited non-government organization devoted primarily to
underwater archeology. The group has
also undertaken terrestrial archeology on the Sta. Teresita archeological site
and has conducted seminars and mounted exhibits for greater awareness of
archeological heritage.
Deputy National Administrator
Philip C. Jessup International
Moot Court Competition Philippine Rounds
2002 to 2005
Assisted in the administration of the Philippine rounds for this
international law competition working directly with the National Administrator.
Philippine Voting Member -
ICOMOS-ICLAFI
International Council on
Monuments and Sites Committee on Legal and Financial Interests
2002 to present
UNESCO accredited non-government organization that aims to protect,
preserve and promote universally and nationally significant sites. The organization is specially tasked under
the World Heritage Convention to monitor the protection and preservation of the
UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Member - Philippine Committee
International Council on
Monuments and Sites
2005 to present
Official Philippine representatives to ICOMOS, the local organization
aims to monitor, protect, preserve and promote Philippine World Heritage Sites,
and recognize local sites of national and municipal importance. The organization seeks to educate the general
public on the importance of conservation in nation-building and promotes
conservation by undertaking various restorations projects and introducing novel
financing, appreciation and appraisal methods of real property with heritage
value.
Executive Committee Member, National
Committee on Monuments and Sites
National Commission for Culture
and the Arts
2002 to present
Committee created by Republic Act 7653 within the NCCA, to create
national policy pertinent to the protection and preservation of Philippine
built heritage.
Member, Heritage Conservation
Society
2001 to present
Non-government organization devoted to protection, promotion and
preservation of Philippine built heritage, with a mixed composition of
students, lay persons and heritage experts.
PAPERS AND LECTURES:
Paper Presented at International Conference on Vernacular Architecture
and Indigenous Heritage, held in Bohol (15-18 May 2006): Philippine Laws on
Heritage
Lecture given at the International Conference of National Trusts, held
in the Washington, DC, USA (August 2005) Recent Cases in Heritage Protection in
the Philippines.
Paper Presented in Symposium for Church Heritage Workers, Holy Angels
University, (29 September 2003): Legal
Obligations for Managers of Heritage Sites
Philippine Heritage Protection Laws: Paper Presented at International
Council on Monuments and Sites, Georgia, USA (2002)
Philippine Laws on the Trafficking of Cultural Property, paper
presented at the Forum on Trafficking of Cultural Property, National Museum,
2002
LEGISLATION
Drafted the Heritage Law for the Protection of Philippine Built
Heritage through the creation of the Landmarks Council
Drafted, Iloilo Ordinance on the Protection of Iloilo City Built
Cultural Heritage (2001) and Style Guide Review (ongoing)
Drafted, Pampanga Provincial Heritage Ordinance (2003)
Drafted Baguio City Heritage Protection and Conservation Ordinance
(2004)
Pangasinan Historic and Cultural Resources Protections Ordinance
(ongoing)
SYMPOSIA AND / OR WORKSHOPS
Resource Person for Consultations by the Catholic Bishops Conference on
the Treaty for Conservation of Church Property between the Republic of the Philippines
and the Holy See; 2007
Resource Person, Organisasyon ng Pilipinong Mangaawit, on Intellectual
Property of Traditional Artists
Resource Person for Society of Ecclesiastical Archivists in the
Philippines for Seminar-Workshops on Ecclesiastical Archiving, 2006]
Speaker, “Copyright: Cultural Implications,” First Philippine Creative
Industries Forum, sponsored by the Cultural Center of the Philippines,
September 2005
Chairman, Conference on Updating Philippine Tentative List of
Nominations to the World Heritage Convention, August 2005
Segment Chairman, Asia-Euro Foundation Symposium on Copyright, 2002,
Lyon France
BOOKS:
“Compilation of Laws on Philippine Built Heritage” A collaboration
between the Information Office of the Supreme Court of the Philippines and the
National Commission for Culture and the Arts, contributor, 2001.
Contributor, “The Heritage
Manual: A compendium of facts on
conservation,” Project of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts’
Committee on Monuments and Sites, 2005.
Resource Person (for culture and culture-related laws) on the
compilation of Environmental Laws by
Antonio Oposa, 2003
Current projects: textbooks on Philippine Cultural Management,
Artist’s Rights Compilation of Philippine Arts and Culture Laws
Project Director: Evolution of
the Philippine Constitutions, an exhibit on the various constitutions from
1897 to 1987, manages and lectures on the history and law behind them,.
