President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has named Hilario Bringas Paredes as the new chairman of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), marking the third leadership change at the agency in less than two months.
The appointment, confirmed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin on October 29, follows a letter from President Marcos dated October 28. Paredes succeeds retired police general Thompson Lantion, who was appointed to the role on September 9. Lantion himself had replaced Delfin Lorenzana, a former defense secretary and Philippine Military Academy Class of ’69 alumnus. No explanation was provided for Lantion’s abrupt replacement.
Paredes is no stranger to the BCDA, having served as a board member prior to his appointment as chairman. He is the founder and senior partner of the Paredes Law Group and has practiced law for 26 years. His expertise spans a broad range of fields, including corporate law, banking and finance, telecommunications, infrastructure, and taxation.
He also holds the position of chairman and president at the Asian Center for Legal Excellence, a role he has held since 2009, and heads Paredes Holdings, which he founded in 2019. Paredes’ appointment comes during a period of ongoing transformation at the BCDA.