Edwin Lacierda

In this Philippine name for natural children, there is no middle name nor paternal family name, but the surname or maternal family name is Lacierda.

Edwin Lacierda
File:Edwin Lacierda (crop).jpg
Presidential Spokesperson
In office June 30, 2010 – June 30, 2016
President	Benigno S. Aquino III
Deputy	Abigail Valte
Preceded by	Eduardo Ermita
Succeeded by	Ernesto Abella
Personal details
Born	(1962-05-08) May 8, 1962
Nationality	Filipino
Education	De La Salle University Ateneo de Manila University Asian Institute of Management
Known for	PayMongo

Edwin Lacierda (Tagalog pronunciation: [lɐˈʃeɾda]; born May 8, 1962) is a Filipino lawyer, technology entrepreneur, and former government official. He was a member of the Philippine Cabinet and served as Presidential Spokesperson under President Benigno S. Aquino III. Lacierda is a co-founder of the fintech firm PayMongo.

Early life and education

Lacierda was born into a Chinese Filipino family, with a Chinese father and a Filipino mother. He completed his secondary education at St. Jude Catholic School. He earned a Communication Arts degree from De La Salle University. He then pursued legal studies at the Ateneo de Manila University, where he obtained his LLB.

Career

Legal practice and civil society

After completing law school, Lacierda began his career in private legal practice. He served as a co-convener of the Black and White Movement, a civil society group that championed transparency and accountability in the Philippine government. Notably, he acted as legal counsel for whistleblower Rodolfo "Jun" Lozada during the Senate investigation into the NBN–ZTE controversy.

Lacierda also taught constitutional law at the Far Eastern University Institute of Law and at the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila.

Role in government

Lacierda first gained national visibility as spokesperson for Benigno S. Aquino III during the 2010 presidential campaign. After Aquino’s election, he was appointed Presidential Spokesperson, a post he held from June 30, 2010 to June 30, 2016. In this capacity, he regularly briefed the media on executive policies and addressed issues involving governance, human rights, and foreign relations on behalf of the administration. He also responded to public concerns and clarified government positions during significant national events throughout Aquino’s term.

Technology entrepreneurship

After his public service, Lacierda co-founded PayMongo in 2019, a Philippine fintech and online payments platform where he served as Chief Operating Officer (COO) until his departure in 2021.

He later founded another fintech venture, PayRex, where he currently serves as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and co-founder.

Television hosting

In 2025, Lacierda also made his mark in broadcast media, co-hosting The Spokes on Bilyonaryo News Channel alongside former Presidential Spokesperson Atty. Trixie Cruz-Angeles. The program explores politics, governance, and current events, delivering thought-provoking conversations that challenge conventional perspectives.

Personal life

Lacierda speaks four languages: Filipino, English, Hokkien, and Mandarin.