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ALCANTARA JOAQUINO ALCANTARA LAW

ALCANTARA JOAQUINO ALCANTARA LAW

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Oct 13

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A supplier's bank details get changed before a routine payment goes out, and the funds land somewhere else entirely. The instinct is to assume it's gone. Under BSP Circular 1215, there's a real window to freeze and trace it, but it's five calendar days, not thirty, and it starts with a call to the originating bank's fraud line, not a police report. What a treasury team does in that window, and whether the response is already built into the runbook before an incident happens, often decides what's left to recover.

Click the linkinbio to learn more.

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Oct 8

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Cybersecurity compliance is often treated as something that only becomes relevant after an incident occurs. Under Philippine law, it is an ongoing obligation, one that applies annually regardless of whether a business experienced any security incident at all.

The Annual Security Incident Report (ASIR) is a requirement many businesses are unaware they carry, and the National Privacy Commission has recently reopened the filing window for 2025 reports through November 10, 2026.

This is the first in AJA Law's series for Cybersecurity Awareness Month, where we will be looking at what Philippine businesses should be reviewing this October, not as a matter of general caution, but as a matter of specific legal obligation.

If your organization is uncertain whether this requirement applies, a brief review now is a smaller undertaking than addressing a missed filing later. For questions on your compliance status, reach out to AJA Law at ajalaw.ph/contact/.

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Oct 2

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What made it On Record this month?

AI and creative work. The evolving creative economy. The legal questions behind how creative work is created, used, and valued.

Our September issue brings these threads together with practical insights for creators, businesses, and anyone keeping an eye on where the creative and technology landscape is headed.

Read the September issue and subscribe to On Record through the link in our bio.

Need to talk through an IP, creative, or technology matter? Connect with AJA Law!

#IntellectualProperty #CreativeIndustries #ArtificialIntelligence #AJALaw

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Sep 30

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Someone reused your work and called it fair use. That word alone doesn't decide whether they were right.

Philippine law tests fair use against real factors, not a claim someone makes after the fact. And because copyright infringement here doesn't require proof of intent, a genuine belief that a use was fair doesn't settle whether it actually was.

If you're a creator wondering whether your work crossed a line, this is worth understanding before you decide what to do next.
AJA Law helps creators assess this, and what comes after. Full breakdown on the link in bio.

#WeAreACreativeNation #PhilippineCreativeIndustriesMonth #IntellectualProperty #CreativeBusiness #FilipinoArtists

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Sep 25

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Sep 22

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The talent got paid. That doesn't mean every future use of their performance is covered.

This Philippine Creative Industries Month, under this year's theme "We Are a Creative Nation," we're looking at what actually holds a production together long after filming wraps: the agreement.

A campaign that expands. A sequel. A use nobody planned for. Swipe through for what a talent agreement actually needs to answer before any of that happens.

Full guide on the site (link in bio). For advice on a specific production, reach out, we're glad to help.
#WeAreACreativeNation #PhilippineCreativeIndustriesMonth #IntellectualProperty #CreativeBusiness

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Sep 18

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Between law school and admission to the Bar, there's work to be done.

AJA Law is accepting applications for an Underbar Associate who has taken the September 2026 Philippine Bar Examinations and is awaiting the results.

Work alongside partners and senior associates on corporate, litigation, regulatory, advisory, and other client matters, with practical exposure to research, drafting, case preparation, and matter coordination.

All legal work will be performed under the supervision of a duly admitted lawyer and within the applicable limitations before admission to the Philippine Bar.

📩For the complete qualifications and application details, see the full details through the link in our bio. Send your resume and letter of intent to info@ajalaw.io

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Sep 17

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September is Philippine Creative Industries Month. This year's theme: We Are a Creative Nation. And we believe it.

We're opening the floor to creators, artists, and creative businesses.

Whether it's contracts, ownership, or how your team and freelancers are set up, we want to hear what's on your mind.
Drop your question in the comments, or send us a DM. We're listening this month.
#WeAreACreativeNation #PhilippineCreativeIndustriesMonth

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Sep 15

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Calling someone a freelancer doesn't make them one.

And the label on a contract doesn't decide who owns what they create.

Philippine Creative Industries Month is a good reminder that the creative economy runs on real people, whether they're in-house, freelance, or working through an agency, and someone eventually has to own what they make. Philippine law asks a specific question to sort that out: is the work actually part of the job, and if not, is there a signed agreement covering it?

Swipe through for how this plays out across employees, freelancers, and agencies.

A quick review now is easier than untangling ownership once work is already in use. Learn more by reading the full article through the linkinbio.

#IntellectualProperty #CreativeBusiness #FilipinoArtists #MediaLaw #CreativeProfessionals #AJALaw

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Sep 9

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Aug 21

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It's easy to talk about growth in numbers. What's actually mattered these six years is the relationships built along the way, with clients, with each other, and with everyone who's followed this journey.
#AJALawAtSix

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Aug 19

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Six years in, our work spans logistics and aviation, technology, banking and finance, foreign investment, and the creative industries, each different, but approached the same way: taking the time to understand the business behind it. If your company falls into one of these spaces, or somewhere adjacent, we're glad to help you think through what's ahead.

If you're navigating a legal question or planning what's next for your business, get in touch with AJA Law through the link in our bio.

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Aug 17

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On our 6th anniversary, here are six things that still hold true. If your business is entering a new stage, structure, or market, early legal guidance can make the path clearer. We're glad to help you think it through.

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Jul 29

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This year alone, the standard for winning a government contract shifted, new disclosure rules took effect, and the country's top investment priorities were rewritten. Each change quietly moved what businesses need to do to compete.

Our newsletter, On Record, is where we translate changes like these into plain, practical terms, before they catch you mid-bid or mid-application. No noise, no jargon, just what actually affects how you do business with and within the Philippines.

Subscribe to On Record through the link in our bio.
#GovernmentProcurement #PhilippineLaw #BusinessUpdates #RA12009 #SIPP2026 #AJALaw

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Jul 24

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In government procurement, the outcome of a bid is often influenced long before the notice of award.

While filing deadlines under the New Government Procurement Act are important, many issues arise even earlier, including signing authority, ownership disclosures, bid responsiveness, and project structure.

Read the full article through the link in our bio to understand where procurement risks commonly arise and how early legal review can make a difference. If you're preparing to participate in a government bid or would like guidance on procurement strategy and compliance, our team at

AJA Law is here to help. Visit ajalaw.ph/contact.
#GovernmentProcurement #PublicProcurement #RA12009 #PublicBidding #GovernmentContracts #RegulatoryCompliance #BusinessLaw #CorporateLaw #PhilippineLaw #AJALaw

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Jul 21

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The 2026 Strategic Investment Priority Plan (SIPP) now includes frontier technologies such as artificial intelligence, quantum, cybersecurity, biotechnology, hydrogen and nuclear energy, and geospatial analysis under its highest incentive tier.

But operating in one of these industries does not automatically qualify a project for incentives. Eligibility depends on how the project is structured, documented, and aligned with regulatory requirements.

Read our full article through the link in our bio to learn what changed under the 2026 SIPP and what businesses should consider before applying. If you're evaluating an investment project or exploring incentive opportunities in the Philippines, AJA Law can help. Get in touch at ajalaw.ph/contact.
#GovernmentProcurement #RA12009 #PublicBidding #PhilippineLaw #CorporateGovernance #AJALaw

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Jul 15

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A government bid can be technically excellent, competitively priced, and still thrown out over who signed it.

Under the new procurement law, the person who signs a bid must have documented authority to bind the company, all the way through to signing the contract. Bidders must also disclose who ultimately owns the company, consistently across SEC, PhilGEPS, and the bid itself.

The stakes have risen. Failure to disclose properly is a ground for automatic disqualification, and a false ownership entry is a ground for blacklisting. These are settled at bid opening, not corrected afterward.

We help businesses get the signatory and disclosure package right before submission. If you are preparing to bid, it is worth a conversation early.
#GovernmentProcurement #RA12009 #PublicBidding #PhilippineLaw #CorporateGovernance #AJALaw

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Jul 6

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In a government bid, price can count for as little as 15% of the total score. The new procurement law quietly changed the math of winning a government contract.

Under the Most Economically Advantageous Responsive Bid (MEARB) standard, price can count for as little as 15% of the total score. Quality, screened first and sometimes gated behind a minimum score, carries the rest. A bid that misses that quality threshold can be set aside before its price is ever opened.

The criteria and their weights are published in the bidding documents. The advantage goes to the bidder who treats those criteria as the real contest and maps its evidence to each one.

We work with businesses to read procurement requirements the way evaluators do, before a bid goes out. If you are preparing to bid, it is worth a conversation early.
#GovernmentProcurement #RA12009 #PublicBidding #PhilippineLaw #MEARB #AJALaw

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Jun 30

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The Philippines rewards those who understand it honestly. At AJA Law, we bring that understanding to every client, from the first commercial decision to the ones that determine what the business becomes. We look forward to working with you.

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Jun 25

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Jun 16

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Business in the Philippines is built on relationships. Trust forms before contracts do, and commitments are made before the harder questions are asked. That is part of what makes this market genuinely human.

It is also where the legal picture gets complicated. At AJA Law, we understand both sides of that reality and help businesses build partnerships that hold up over time.

Read the full article through the link in our bio and learn how stronger legal foundations can support your business relationships. If you need guidance in structuring your next arrangement, reach our team at ajalaw.ph/contact.

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Jun 15

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For future lawyers taking the 2026 Bar Examinations.

AJA Law’s Underbar Associate Program provides Bar review support, a stipend during preparation, and a clear path toward legal practice.

🗓️Applications are open until 20 June 2026.
📨Send your application to info@ajalaw.io

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Jun 10

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The Philippines is one of Southeast Asia's most dynamic commercial markets. But moving well here takes more than ambition. It takes the right structure, the right partners, and an understanding of how this market actually works today.

Whether you're a foreign company, a growing local business, or a founder just starting out, legal and commercial planning should be part of the strategy from day one.

At AJA Law, we help businesses get that right from the start.

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May 29

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At AJA Law, we encourage businesses to look at incentives as part of early planning, not just as an application filed later.

For companies entering or expanding in the Philippines, BOI incentives can affect how a business is structured, documented, and operated.

Before applying, it is important to assess whether the planned activity aligns with investment priorities and whether the company’s structure, documents, permits, contracts, and operations support the proposed project.

This matters because registration is only one part of the process. Businesses are also expected to maintain compliance after approval.
Read more through the link in our bio or reach our team at ajalaw.ph/contact.

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