Atty. Sonia S. Tapales

Atty. Sonia S. Tapales is the Chief, Trade and Industry Development Specialist (CTIDS) of the Import Regulation Division of the Department of Trade and Industry – Fair Trade Enforcement Bureau. She is responsible for the smooth and efficient implementation of import regulations on used motor vehicles, used engines, parts and components, and importations of all government agencies, including Local Government Units (LGUs) and government owned and controlled corporations.

She started her government service when she worked at the Regional Trial Court as Staff Assistant V at the Office of the Clerk of Court and later on as Legal Researcher of Branch 72, Fourth Judicial Region in Antipolo City.

She joined the DTI in 1994 as an Attorney III and eventually as Supervising TIDS at the Bureau of Import Services (BIS) where she handled trade remedy cases under the World Trade Organization (WTO) and provided supervisory, technical and administrative assistance to the CTIDS of the Import Regulatory Division in the implementation of import regulations on used motor vehicles and used motor vehicle parts and components, respectively.

Atty. Tapales obtained her Bachelor of Laws degree from the Ateneo de Manila University College of Law in 1983.