Hiyasmin H. Lapitan

hhlapitan@syciplaw.com

Hiyasmin H. Lapitan is a partner in SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan, which is one of the largest law firms in the Philippines.

She is a member of the firm's special projects, tax, and banking, finance and securities departments, and provides corporate services. She was admitted to the Philippine Bar in 2006.

Practice

Ms. Lapitan's practice covers insurance, tax, mergers and acquisitions, energy, and construction.

She specializes in insurance law and has broad experience in investments in, and regulation of, this sector. She has worked on the divestment of shares in a non-life insurer, the acquisition of control over a life insurer, and the licensing of an insurance broker. She has worked on the establishment and licensing of insurers and insurance agencies.

Ms. Lapitan acts as the Philippine Insurance Commission-licensed resident agent of a number of non-resident foreign reinsurers and offshore reinsurance brokers.

Her insurance projects include the following:

• acquisition of shares in a Philippine licensed insurance broker
• the structuring of a non-life insurance company
• acquisition by one of the insurance largest brokers in the world of shares in an insurance broker licensed in the Philippines
• establishment of a subsidiary of a leading microinsurance provider that uses the mobile phone platform for distribution
• establishment of a branch office of a foreign insurer and the licensing of the branch as a non-life insurer
• reorganization of a holding company structure for the Philippine affiliate of a major life insurance conglomerate, and securing approval from the Philippine Insurance Commission in relation to such reorganization
• structuring and negotiation of a bancassurance agreement of an insurer with a local bank

Ms. Lapitan also regularly provides tax structuring advice and assistance to foreign residents in relation to their availment of preferential tax treatment under tax treaties. She also acts for clients in protesting tax assessments and in applying for tax incentives.

She has experience in government contracts, and has worked on public biddings for government assets and contracts; the development, equity structuring, and financing of various power generation projects including those that involve renewable energy; the reorganization of a group of advertising agencies; the formation of a joint venture for the supply of bulk water; the sale of shipyard assets; the acquisition of a chain of restaurants; and the preparation of engineering, procurement and construction contracts for energy and public infrastructure projects.

Admission to the Bar

2006, Philippines

Education

University of the Philippines (B.S.; LL.B., Dean's Medal for Academic Excellence)