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Third Bargo
Staff
Herminio Bagro III
Country Representative
Third Bagro, with fifteen years of public sector experience, now represents the US-ABC as its Philippines Country Representative. From his beginnings as scholar, student leader, and legal assistant, he rose to serve in various capacities, including Undersecretary at the Presidential Management Staff, chief-of-staff to a Philippine Senator, and Trade Undersecretary. He co-founded Twala and FLO Attorneys-at-Law to enhance legal access through technology. A University of the Philippines graduate in philosophy and law, he earned an MPA from Maxwell School, Syracuse University, as a Fulbright scholar.

Former Undersecretary Third Bagro joined the US-ABC in June 2023 as the Philippines’ Country Representative. 

For thirteen years, he served as public sector manager and legal counsel to members of Cabinet and Senators across four administrations. 

He started out as legal assistant to the labor relations commission while taking up law, and after graduating, as staff to Senator Mar Roxas in 2010. After ranking 8th in the 2009 bar examinations, he joined the government, eventually serving as Undersecretary at the Presidential Management Staff, during the term of late President Benigno S. Aquino III. In 2016, he crossed over to the legislative branch and served as chief-of-staff to three-term Senator Francis N. Pangilinan. In 2022, he was appointed Undersecretary at the Department of Trade and Industry, serving as chief legal counsel to Secretary Alfredo E. Pascual. 

Realizing the potential of technology in democratizing legal access in the country, he co-founded two startups: Twala, a blockchain-powered document signing and intelligence solution and FLO Attorneys-at-Law, a firm offering tech-enabled legal services. 

Third was a lecturer on constitutional law at the University of the Philippines (UP), where he graduated with degrees in Philosophy (cum laude) and Juris Doctor. It was also in UP where he understood the transformative potential of public service -- as both student and leader. In 2008, he was elected student council Chairman, during the University’s 100th year. 

He pursued public administration in academia and earned an MPA from the Maxwell School in Syracuse University, New York as a Fulbright scholar. 

See Full Bio

Articles

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