Gancayco Balasbas & Associates Law Offices

28/04/2026

The 4th ICC Philippines Arbitration Day 2026, held on 23 April 2026, convened leading arbitration practitioners, in-house counsel, academics, and institutional representatives for a full day of substantive discussions on the continued development of arbitration in the Philippines and across the Asia-Pacific region.

The event was graced by our Keynote Speaker, Hon. Darlene Marie B. Berberabe, who currently serves as Solicitor General of the Philippines. The conference was likewise attended by a diverse group of foreign practitioners and international stakeholders, reflecting the Philippines’ growing engagement with the global arbitration community. Among the honored guests were former Supreme Court Justice and Ombudsman, Hon. Conchita Carpio Morales and former COA Commissioner Hon. Grace Pulido Tan, whose presence underscored the significance of the event within the broader legal and governance landscape.

The opening session was moderated by our very own Atty. Myra Janina P. Bañaga, Partner at Gancayco Balasbas and Associates, Commission Member of ICC Philippines, and current member of the ICC International Court of Arbitration (ICC-ICA).

Discussions opened with the impact of artificial intelligence on international arbitration, examining both the regulatory considerations and the practical balance between cautious adoption and effective use of AI tools. This was followed by a panel on corruption in arbitration, where speakers explored the application of frameworks such as the ICC’s guidance on identifying red flags, and the challenges faced by tribunals and parties in navigating sensitive allegations in both domestic and international contexts. The final session focused on the use of multi-tiered dispute resolution mechanisms, particularly the transition from Dispute Boards to arbitral tribunals, highlighting both the strategic use and potential misuse of such mechanisms, as well as their practical implications in subsequent arbitration proceedings.

The conference concluded with closing remarks from Atty. Gancayco, Senior Partner of Gancayco Balasbas and Associates Law Offices.

01/04/2026

Our Firm, represented by our Senior Partner Atty. Dot Balasbas-Gancayco and Senior Associate Atty. Alyssa C. Dela Cruz, attended the 2026 ASEAN Intellectual Property Association Conference in Phuket, Thailand from 27–28 March.

Atty. Dot, who serves as a Councilor from the Philippines, also represented the country during the Council Meeting and joined discussions on the future direction of IP practice in ASEAN.

With this year’s theme, “Advancing Together: Legal Practice and IP Protection in the Age of AI,” the conference brought together leading practitioners and experts across the region to discuss the evolving landscape of intellectual property in an era shaped by rapid technological advancement.

24/03/2026

You are invited to register! Explore the practice of arbitration and join us in the 4th Philippine Arbitration Day.

22/02/2026

An afternoon engagement of PCCI business leaders with DPWH Sec Vince Dizon. Our Senior Partner is the Corporate Secretary of the National Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Also in attendance is our client Sergio Ortiz Luis - Honorary Chairman and Treasurer of PCCI.

We pray for Secretary Vince Dizon and his team so that they may immediately execute urgent priority infra projects and all the long term reforms needed in the DPWH in collaboration with the private sector.

Photos credit to Mr. Sen Perlada EVP and COO of Philexport.

09/02/2026

Our client

Catch on February 9, 2026, at 10:00 AM, as Maiki Oreta sits down with Sergio R. Ortiz-Luis Jr., President of ECOP and PHILEXPORT, to discuss the state and prospects of Philippine exports.

Don’t miss this insightful conversation on how the country is navigating the global trade landscape.

30/01/2026

Today's Intellectual Property Association of the Philippines (IPAP) General Membership Meeting included the election of Directors, one of which is APAA President-elect and GBA Senior Partner, Atty. Pablo M. Gancayco. New members of the association were also inducted in today's meeting. Other GBA partners and IPAP members in attendance include Atty Dot Gancayco, Atty. Anna Melissa D. Arao, and Atty. Myra Janina P. Bañaga.

01/12/2025

We are proud to share that our Senior Partner, Atty. Pablo M. Gancayco, has been elected as the next President of the Asian Patent Attorneys Association (APAA) during its 21st General Assembly and 77th and 78h Council Meetings held from 6-10 November 2025 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. We extend our warmest congratulations on this well-deserved win, which is truly an acknowledgment of his steady leadership and longstanding contribution to the IP community.

For this year’s APAA General Assembly, Atty. Pablo M. Gancayco (Senior Partner), Atty. Ma. Dorothea “Dot” Balasbas-Gancayco (Senior Partner), Atty. Myra Janina P. Bañaga (Partner) and Atty. Alyssa Christine C. Dela Cruz (Senior Associate) represented the firm. As always, it was a valuable opportunity for Intellectual Property (IP) practitioners from across the region and beyond to exchange views, share updates, and reconnect with colleagues

19/09/2025

The Gancayco Balasbas & Associates Law Offices proudly congratulates our Senior Partner, Atty. Pablo Gancayco, for being recognized as Lawyer of Excellence 2025 by the Gawad Dangal (Award of Honor) Filipino Awards.

This distinction adds to his achievements, including being named one of the 2023 Outstanding Men and Women of the Philippines, and receiving the Enduring Award from the Asian Patent Attorneys Association (APAA) in the same year.

Beyond his individual accolades, Atty. Gancayco continues to lead and serve through various leadership roles in key institutions, such as:

Atty. Pablo Gancayco, the Senior Partner of Gancayco Balasbas & Associates Law Offices, is recognized as Lawyer of Excellence 2025 by the Gawad Dangal (Award of Honor) Filipino Awards.

This distinction adds to his roster of achievements, including being named one of the 2023 Outstanding Men and Women of the Philippines, and receiving the Enduring Award from the Asian Patent Attorneys Association (APAA) in the same year.

Beyond his individual accolades, Atty. Gancayco continues to lead and serve through various leadership roles in key institutions, such as:

NOTABLE PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS:

• Chairman of the Board of Trustees, GS1 (Global Standards 1) Philippines, Inc. - the registry and administrator of the International Barcode System in Philippine trade and commerce;

• Director, International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Philippines - in charge of Arbitration and Intellectual Property;

• Member, ASEAN-BAC (ASEAN Business Advisory Council) - tasked to organize the ASEAN Summit in the Philippines in October 2026;

• Corporate Secretary and Legal Counsel, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. - the biggest and the most prominent business organization in the Philippines;

• Chairman for years 2024 & 2025 of the Philippine Local Government Units Awards - Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc.

• Director, Past Chairman and Past President, Intellectual Property Association of the Philippines (IPAP);

• Director and Past Chairman of the Board of Directors, Freeport Area of Bataan (FAB) - the first and one of the biggest Government freeport in the Philippines;

• Private Sector Representative, Promotions Board of the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL).

• Past Senior Vice President and Councilor, Asian Patent Attorneys Association (APAA);

• Legal Counsel, Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc. - the only exporters’ regulatory organization in the Philippines, composed of representatives from the government and the private sector;

• Past National Group President, Association Internationale pour la Protection de la Properiete Intellectualle (AIPPI);

• Past Councilor, and Past Philippine Group Head, ASEAN Intellectual Property Association (AIPA);

• Director and General Counsel, Manila Pavilion Hotel / Acesite (Phils.) Hotel Corporation;

• Director, LikeCash Asia & the Pacific Corporation;

• Past Member, Supreme Court Committee on Bar Matters;

• Past Member, Integrated Bar of the Philippines Committee on Specialty Accreditation.

SOCIO-CIVIC, CHARITABLE AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AND POSITIONS:

• Past District Governor, Rotary International District 3780, Rotary Year 2010-2011;

• Past Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Philippine College of Rotary Governors - the organization of all past, present, and future Rotary Governors in the 10 Rotary Districts of the Philippines;

• Past Chairman, Philippine Rotary Magazine Foundation, Inc. - publisher of the Philippine Rotary, a regional magazine of Rotary International;

• Member, Council of Rotary Governors of Rotary International (RI) District 3780;

• Representative of RI District 3780 to the 2016 Rotary International Council on Legislation;

• Past President, Rotary Club of New Manila East, R.I. District 3780 (RY-1998-1999);

• Legal Counsel, Help & Assistance for Rotary Philippine Districts (building and rehabilitating public schools at typhoon ravaged areas);

• Trustee, R.I. District 3780 Rotary Center Building Foundation, Inc.;

• Past Director, Young Men’s Christian Association of Quezon City, Inc.;

• Member, Young Men’s Christian Association of the Philippines.

We at GBA Law wholeheartedly celebrate his dedication, excellence, and continued contributions to the legal profession and the law firm’s 34 years of successful legal practice.

Congratulations ATTY. PABLO GANCAYCO- Lawyer of Excellence in the 3rd Gawad Dangal Filipino Awards

11/09/2025

With overflowing pride, we congratulate our Senior Partner Atty. Ma. Dorothea Ramos Balasbas-Gancayco for being an ASIA’s MODERN HEROES AWARDEE 2025 - for PUBLIC SERVICE, WOMEN EMPOWERMENT and SOCIAL JUSTICE.

From the Asian Modern Heroes Awards Organizing Body:

We proudly recognize Atty. Dot Ramos Balasbas-Gancayco, a trailblazer in the areas of public service, women empowerment, law, health, and education. As a television host of a public service show on UNTV for almost a decade, she gives free legal advice to indigents during the show and donates her entire salary for those needing any kind of assistance.

A fierce advocate of protection of women’s and children’s rights, she is one of the 3 co-founders of the Sunflower Run - an annual event in the University of the Philippines attended by the country’s women leaders, which reminds the community that women and children should be loved and respected and not abused. She has given countless lectures on the Safe Spaces Act, the Anti Violence against Women and Children Act, and the Anti - Sexual Harassment Law. A professor of Intellectual Property Law at the New Era University - College of Law, she teaches, and fights for, artists’ rights.

In Health , she is the Chairman of the Alyansa Para sa Kalusugan ng mga Mamamayan (AKMA). She has organized face to face and online lectures on how to strengthen physical and mental health from the pandemic time up to today.

She has initiated and managed many fundraising projects for disaster victims, scholarships for indigent children, and has produced/co-produced concerts for poor artists in need of funds for hospital and other medical expenses.

As the first and only woman President of Celebrity Club in its 48 years of existence, she introduced many innovations to the Club which now engages in socio-civic activities.

Atty. Dot, as she is fondly called, is the co-founder and President of the “Never-Stop-Learning Circle” - which aims to provide free learning seminars to all people of all ages who value and are passionate about learning.

For her life works - Atty. Dot has been recognized as:

1. University of the Philippines’ Distinguished Alumna Awardee for Community Empowerment

2. Empowered Woman of the Year Awardee

3. Golden Wheel Excellence Awardee from both Mayor QC Mayor Joy Belmonte and Rotary District 3780

4. Gawad Gubernador Awardee from Rotary District 3780.

5. 10 Most Outstanding Alumni Awardee of St. Joseph's College Quezon City

6. Faces of Excellence Awardee

7. Most Outstanding Deltan Awardee of the UP Delta Lambda Sigma Sorority

8. Global Excellence Awardee for Multi-Media

9. Mutiple Awardee of the IBP QC Chapter

10. Several other awards

Atty Dot Gancayco
Atty. Dot was also chosen by sculptor Ferdinand Cacnio as the Face Model of the UPlift Statue located in front of the UP Theater in UP Diliman for her integrity, dedication to public service, and excellence in all her pursuits.

05/09/2025

Please register!