Ricardo Ma. P.G. Ongkiko, SyCipLaw senior partner, regular ExCom member, and head of its Litigation Department, has been appointed as delegate to the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Commission on Arbitration and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) for the 3-year term 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2027.
Ricardo brings a wealth of experience as both an arbitrator and arbitration counsel in international and domestic arbitration, particularly in commercial and construction disputes. He has served in various capacities, including Chairman and Member of Arbitral Tribunals, and Sole Arbitrator, in ad hoc arbitrations under the Philippine ADR Act and in institutional arbitrations governed by the Rules of Arbitration of the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC), the Philippine Dispute Resolution Center, Inc. (PDRC), the Philippine Construction Industry Arbitration Commission (CIAC), and the National Arbitration and Mediation (NAM) in New York.
As arbitration counsel, Ricardo has represented clients in ad hoc proceedings under both the Philippine ADR Act and the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules, as well as in institutional arbitrations under the Rules of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the SIAC, the PDRC, and the CIAC.
Ricardo is a Fellow of The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (East Asia branch) and a member of the International Council for Commercial Arbitration. Renowned for his advocacy of arbitration in the Philippines, Ricardo serves as President Emeritus of the Philippine Institute of Arbitrators (having previously served as its President and Chairman), and is a Trustee of both the PDRC and the Philippine Institute of Construction Arbitrators and Mediators, Inc., where he also has served as President.
In addition to his roles in local arbitration organizations, Ricardo is an accredited arbitrator for several prestigious institutions, including the SIAC, the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre, the Asian International Arbitration Centre, the Korean Commercial Arbitration Board, the Vienna International Arbitration Centre, as well as the PDRC, CIAC, Philippine International Center for Conflict Resolution, and the Philippine Wholesale Electricity Spot Market.
The ICC Commission boasts delegates from over 100 countries, including a diverse array of professionals such as lawyers, arbitrators, mediators, in-house counsel, corporate representatives, and members of the academe specializing in dispute resolution.
Its mission is to harness expertise in arbitration and ADR from across the ICC network, fostering thought leadership within the field. The Commission actively produces comprehensive reports, recommendations, and guidance addressing practical, procedural, and legal challenges in arbitration and ADR. Additionally, it plays a vital role in shaping updates to the rules governing ICC Dispute Resolution Services.