Joan de Venecia-Fabul

Chief Legal Counsel & Head of Regulatory and Strategic Affairs @ PLDT

About

Joan de Venecia-Fabul is the Chief Legal Counsel and First Vice President of PLDT Inc., a telco listed on both the PSE and NYSE. She concurrently serves as Head of Regulatory and Strategic Affairs, helping steer the company through an evolving legal and regulatory landscape. Before PLDT, she was Vice President and General Counsel of Philex Mining Corporation, where she also served as Data Protection Officer and Head of Human Resources. Prior to that, she was Vice President for Public Relations at the Home Development Mutual Fund (Pag-IBIG Fund), and began her legal career as a Senior Associate at SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan. Joan is a Professorial Lecturer at the University of the Philippines College of Law, where she teaches Public International Law, and is a regular speaker in Mandatory Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) seminars, especially in investor-State arbitration. She sits on the International Law Committee of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP), is Public Relations Officer and Trustee of the UP Women Lawyers’ Circle (WILOCI), and is a member of the Supreme Court Sub-Committee on the Revisions of the Code of Judicial Conduct. In 2022, she served as a Bar Examiner for Civil Law 2. She was appointed to the International Chamber of Commerce’s Commission on Arbitration and ADR for the 2024–2027 mandate, representing the Philippines. Joan is also an engaged community builder: she is an admin of Abogadong Pinoy, the largest Facebook group exclusively for Filipino lawyers, and the founder and admin of Borahae from Manila, a BTS fan group known for its advocacy-driven projects. A consistent achiever, Joan graduated valedictorian, cum laude, and Academic Excellence awardee of the UP Law Class of 2005, and topped the Philippine Bar Exam that same year. She holds an LL.M. in International Legal Studies from New York University, where she was a Fulbright scholar and Hugo Grotius Fellow. Most recently, she completed the Advanced Management Program (AMP) at The Wharton School, earning alumna status. She is proudly a wife and mother of four.

Country

Philippines

City

Metro Manila

Industry

Telecommunications

Skill

International Law, Litigation, International Arbitration, Employment Law, Arbitration, Negotiating Contracts, Public International Law, Courts, Appeals, Commercial Litigation, Corporate Law, Legal Research, Legal Writing, Legal Advice, Contract Negotiation, Constitutional Law, Corporate Governance

Experience

Chief Legal Counsel & Head of Regulatory and Strategic Affairs

PLDT

2025-1 - Present · 1 yr 9 mos

Manila, National Capital Region, Philippines

First Vice President - Deputy Chief Legal Counsel

PLDT

2020-11 - 2024-12 · 4 yrs 2 mos

Vice President - Deputy Chief Legal Counsel (Legal Practice)

PLDT

2019-4 - 2020-11 · 1 yr 8 mos

Makati

Professor - Public International Law

University of the Philippines College of Law

2016-8 - Present · 10 yrs 2 mos

Professor - Agency & Partnership

University of the Philippines College of Law

2015-1 - 2016-12 · 2 yrs

Vice President - General Counsel, Data Protection Officer, Head of Human Resources

Philex Mining Corporation

2015-8 - 2019-3 · 3 yrs 8 mos

Mandaluyong City

Vice President - Public Relations & Information Services Group

Home Development Mutual Fund (Pag-IBIG Fund)

2013-8 - 2015-7 · 2 yrs

makati, philippines

Acted as the spokesperson of the Fund as designated by the Chief Executive Officer; Prepared and implemented the communication, media and customer relations plans of the Fund and oversaw the promotion of cordial relations with external agencies, the media and the general public; Facilitated the resolution of issues that may be inimical to the image of the Fund; Recommended to the Chief Executive Officer advertising and promotional materials; Addressed the concerns and complaints of members through various contact points; Launched the Fund’s social media pages and improved its contact center through competitive bidding.

Senior Associate

SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan

2005-11 - 2013-7 · 7 yrs 9 mos

makati, philippines

Represented local and foreign clients in court litigation and arbitration, as well as labor tribunals, including in oral arguments before the Philippine Supreme Court, in cases of first impression and/or involving the national interest; Advised local and foreign investors on Philippine regulatory, land, local government and indigenous groups and employment issues; Advised local and foreign investors in connection with government contracts and projects to be implemented in partnership with the Philippine government; Advised foreign investors on corruption and bribery laws and practices in the Philippines; Coordinated with government agencies and foreign counsel on cases implicating international law issues; Negotiated a bilateral trade agreement on the transboundary movements of hazardous wastes between the Philippines and Taiwan; Argued for the constitutionality and enforceability of the Visiting Forces Agreement between the U.S. and the Philippines; Negotiated a loan agreement with the International Finance Corporation.

Executive Assistant to Justice Teresita Dy-Liacco Flores

Philippine Court of Appeals

2004 - 2004

Reviewed pending cases and drafted decisions and resolutions under the supervision and control of Justice Flores; liaised with the different departments of the Court of Appeals on behalf of Justice Flores.