Marcos appoints Ateneo prof to competition commission

MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos has appointed a commercial law expert and academic as commissioner of the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC), the agency tasked to promote fair market competition.

Ferdinand Negre, who specializes in commercial and intellectual property law, has been named PCC commissioner, the Presidential Communications Office said in a Facebook post yesterday.

Negre is a founding partner of Bengzon Negre Untalan Intellectual Property Attorneys, according to the website of Ateneo de Manila University School of Law.

He also worked in the then Bureau of Patents, Trademarks and Technology Transfer as a trademark officer and hearing officer and in the trade department’s Bureau of Trade Regulation and Consumer Protection as a hearing officer.

The newly appointed PCC commissioner is also a certified public accountant who worked as an auditor at SGV & Co. before taking up law.

Negre taught copyright and related rights and intellectual property rights, management and enforcement at the Ateneo School of Law.

He has also delivered lectures in different universities, government agencies and international organizations including the World Intellectual Property Organization.

Marcos has also appointed Jose Barrogo and Luz Marcelino as directors III of the agriculture department, and Debie Torres as director IV of the interior and local government.

He has made new appointments in the National Tripartite Industrial Peace Council – Rhoda Caliwara and Lucila Tarriela (employers’ sector representatives), Temistocles Dejon Jr. and Gerard Seno (labor sector representatives).

The President has appointed new officials of the Anti-Red Tape Authority – Gerard Divinagracia (deputy director-general), Grace Fernandez and Leonardo Tapia (directors IV).