“People are always telling me that I’m the girl with no Rest,” says Atty. Margarita Ignacia “Migs” Nograles. It’s 9:00 PM on a Tuesday when we sat down to talk, yet, the young woman was still bursting with energy. Earlier that day, she took her House of Representatives Oath, officially making her a representative of the PBA party-list in Congress on July 1.
That morning, she began with her usual fitness ritual (meditation and a daily run), attending meetings, managing associates at her law firm, and doing her duties as a public servant. She also finished shooting a new episode of Paano ba Attorney?, a TV program where she gives free legal advice to anyone who needs it. On the weekends, she works as a law professor, preparing her students for The Bar through review classes. Atty. Migs is also continuing her Master’s Degree in law, after taking a few short courses at Harvard Kennedy School, and passing her Arbitration Accreditation courses.
As a #LadyBoss who wears many hats, it’s very impressive to learn that Atty. Migs is only 31-years-old.
Her Davao-based firm NISSCAD Law Firm (Nograles, Ilagan, Sagarino, Selgas, Cayco, Aban, and Dabi) is committed in helping the general public find solutions in a cost-efficient and a sustainable way. She and her partners participate in a lot of Pro bono work and free legal advice. The Pro bono cases the firm accepts varies on different issues that each partner is passionate about. Atty. Migs, in particular, has a strong stance against domestic abuse, emotional abuse, and all forms of bullying. “While growing up, I was a victim of bullying,” she says. While she’s in office, Nograles had to take a small step back. But she still makes an effort to oversee her associates on a daily basis.
Her show Paano ba Attorney?, also offers free legal advice to their viewers. Nograles shares that their team receives 300 to 400 videos/messages a day from people seeking out her expertise.
You can say that public service runs through Atty. Migs’ blood. Her father is late Speaker Prospero C. Nograles, and her brothers, Karlo and Jericho, both hold positions in government. Watching them do their work, inspired her to be in politics.
Just a few months’ shy of her 32nd birthday, she will be entering the House of Representatives as a congresswoman, under the PBA Partylist. “What I plan to submit as a bill is the Domestic Abuse Law Bill. Another one is the expansion of the Solo Parents Act. In the law, solo parents don’t have additional support for education, which they need.”
As a former athlete, Nograles also wants to ensure that homegrown talents are given proper funding. Through the Party List, she hopes that she can establish standard and retirement benefits for emerging sportspersons. Her family’s work through the Nograles Scholars Program (which supported youths and athletes) inspired the young woman to help emerging Filipino talents. She remembers boxer Nesthly Petecio (an Olympic Silver medalist) as one of athletes they helped through the program.
Migs Nograles’ desire to build a better Philippines reflects on her already-flourishing career. “When I was a part of the Ateneo Student Leaders Assembly, they taught us to be a ripple of change,” she remembers. “Whatever I do in life, I always look at the consequences of my actions. Regardless of being a representative, a teacher, a lawyer, or anything, I always want to be a ripple of change.” With passion in her voice, it’s easy to believe her. However, to reach real “change”, one is afforded very little rest. Luckily for us, Nograles never does.