Photo by: Paolo Nierves

Brains, heart, and beauty— the lethal combination of what powers a successful woman. Atty. Margarita “Migs” Bendigo Nograles does it all. From being a lawyer, a tv and radio show host, a clothing brand ambassador and teacher, she is the type of woman who gains through what she gives. And she’s only 30. 

BRAINS

Atty. Migs is the youngest daughter of the late former House Speaker Prospero Nograles. Growing up, she was exposed to public service, which naturally inspired her to pursue the same route.

She is a highly educated young woman. At Ateneo de Manila University, she pursued her degree in AB Management Economics. She took higher studies at Fordham University, College of Lincoln Center, where she pursued a degree in BA Political Science and BA Economics. As if that isn’t hectic enough, she further took up courses in European Business Law and Economic Law, International Criminal Law, Intellectual Property Rights, and European Corporate Law at the University of Oxford Summer Law and Business School.

But it doesn’t stop there. She also studied International Negotiation and International Deals when she joined the University of San Diego International Students Study Abroad Program, which took her to the King’s College Dickson Poon School of Law in London. She has also attended classes at Columbia University Global Center and Paris, France. In addition to all of these, she has a degree in Juris Doctor and Master of Business Administration from De La Salle University and Far Eastern University Consortium, where she graduated as Valedictorian (Gold Medal for Academic Excellence).

As astounding as her accomplishments are, this didn’t come without challenges along the way. While she was studying at Fordham University, she also worked part-time. She had a goal of learning through real experiences while earning some extra money. This wasn’t revealed to her parents until she graduated. Migs doesn’t regret any of it; the experience made her more mature, and she is grateful for the experience.

In addition to being a working student, she also did an internship for a Non-Government Organization, “Work and Business Opportunities”. It enabled her to help the less fortunate and former inmates on running a small business.

Collectively, all of these experiences have inspired her to serve the Filipino community.

HEART

The bright young lady didn’t wait to start her career and advocacy. She became a certified lawyer on May 3, 2019, after passing the bar exam of 2018 where only 22 percent of the 8,155 examinees from the Philippines passed. She made waves by working for one of the top law firms in the Philippines, and by educating people about their legal rights through Kalamboan Dala Tanan, which airs in different areas in Mindanao through the Ask Atty Migs radio show. Ask Atty Migs is now available online on Sunstar platforms.

Growing up, she always had the heart for service, the microeconomy and teaching. For instance, she would give out iced candy as a child to the carpenters around their homes and villages and help her nanny set up her small business (a sort of sari-sari store) at their house. This led her to be active with Hapinoy back in Ateneo de Manila where she first took Management Economics and taught sari sari store owners to handle their accounting and teach them the basics of business models. She then moved to New York where she also volunteered to be part of a non-profit organization where she helped in teaching previously incarcerated individuals or those who failed to graduate high school to start their own small businesses. Not that it was enough, she wrote her thesis in law school on the microeconomy (sari-sari stores) and studied how to help them earned more than a day’s living
budget. Truly, her heart lies in the people.

Now, she still continues as an educator as she teaches in Ateneo de Davao College of Law, Rizal Memorial Colleges, University of Mindanao, Jose Maria College, and St. Thomas More school of Business and Law, Tagum.

Evidently, her passion in life involves the masses and igniting education for those who need it most. In addition to all of these, she has a degree in Juris Doctor and Master of Business Administration from De La Salle University and Far Eastern University Consortium, where she graduatedas Valedictorian (Gold Medal for Academic Excellence).

BEAUTY

More than having the brains and the heart, Atty. Migs is also a stunning young woman. The 5’5 morena beauty wears clothing by Kaayo Modern Mindanao, owned by her sister-in-law Marga Nograles.

When she was studying overseas at prestigious universities, Atty. Migs made sure that she represented the Philippines through fashion. This always catches other people’s attention, and she would often get asked where she got her clothing pieces. On one occasion, she wore a Mindanaoan scarf, and was approached by a lady who turns out to be a professor in Oxford. The encounter led her to being published in Law Journals.

Atty. Migs always makes sure she looks her best— as she walks the talk (literally), in substance and style.

WHAT’S SHE DOING NOW?

She runs her own online show which airs online in Sunstar Davao, Substar Cebu,
Sunstar Bacolod, and Talk Life Channel. You may view her facebook page “Ask Atty. Migs” where she gives free legal advice as part of her advocacy and aid to the public who lack access to the justice system. She is also a Director of IBP Davao Chapter as well as part of the Board of Directors of the St. Thomas More School of Law and Business located in Tagum, Davao del Norte. She is also currently trying to pursue further studies in law as she teaches five (5) law schools in Davao City.

They created the Nograles, Ilagan, Sagarino, Selgas, Cayco, Aban, and Dabi (NISSCAD) Law Firm with intention of helping to improve the lives of Filipinos and citizens from other countries by “providing cost-efficient and highly sustainable legal services to the general public; and to render meaningful professional relationships with clients, the courts, the concerned government agencies, and other interested parties.”

They are committed to providing legal advice on cases relating to Labor Law, Family Law, Criminal Law, Agricultural Law, Environmental and Natural Resources Law, and Corporate Law. So far, their firm has been doing well but the pandemic has made it difficult for her to teach her students. Like other educators, Atty. Migs is having trouble with maintaining the students’ attention and making sure they aren’t overfatigued.

WHAT KEEPS HER GOING?

Atty. Migs was highly influenced by her father, late Speaker Prospero C. Nograles. To this day, she keeps in mind the lessons he taught her. The late Speaker inspires her passion in giving back to the community. If this influence has inspired her to run for office, Atty. Migs stated that she has no plans for now. But her heart is open to it; she mentioned that if it’s public service, she is always ready for it.

Time management is important for the young lawyer. She firmly believes in the saying, “Kung gusto may paraan, kung ayaw may dahilan”.

A formally heard quote not many practice, but Atty Migs, certainly does.

Stay updated on what she does next on her
Facebook: Ask Atty. Migs
Instagram: @migsnograles

—alike.com.ph

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