Darlene Marie "Lelen" Basco Berberabe is a Filipino lawyer, academic, and former corporate executive who has served as the 39th solicitor general of the Philippinessince 2025. She has concurrently served as the 17th dean of the University of the Philippines College of Law since 2023, a role she will soon depart from after becoming solicitor general.
A graduate of the University of the Philippines Diliman (UP), Berberabe began her legal career in the private sector, working for Baker McKenzie and Procter & Gamble Philippines. In 2010, she became the chief executive officer (CEO) of the Pag-IBIG Fund, a position she held until 2017 before returning to private practice. In 2023, she succeeded Edgardo Vistan as dean of the UP College of Law, becoming the third woman to hold the office.
In 2025, President Bongbong Marcos appointed Berberabe as solicitor general during a major cabinet reshuffle, making her the second woman after Agnes Devanadera to hold the post. Before her appointment, she was briefly considered as a nominee to succeed retiring Associate Justice Mario Lopez.
Berberabe is the widow of professional basketball player Samboy Lim and the mother of athlete and 2019 SEA Games gold medalist Jamie Lim.
While completing her master's degree, she became the first female philosophy instructor at UP Diliman in 1991 and taught in the institution for ten years.[3][4] She later obtained her Bachelor of Laws from the University of the Philippines College of Law in 1999 and graduated as class salutatorian.[5]
Career
Early career
After obtaining her law degree, Berberabe was employed at the multinational law firm Baker McKenzie as an associate lawyer specializing in labor law. She was later hired as a senior counsel for Procter & Gamble (P&G) Philippines and held that role for six years.[6]
CEO of the Pag-IBIG Fund (2010–2017)
Appointment
In 2010, President Benigno Aquino III appointed Berberabe as the chief executive officer (CEO) of the Pag-IBIG Fund on the advice of Vice President Jejomar Binay, who concurrently served as chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council.[7] Berberabe was initially reluctant to accept the position, having planned to accept an offer from P&G for a position in Singapore.[8][6] After repeated requests from Binay, she ultimately decided to stay in the Philippines and resign from P&G to take the office.[8] Her appointment to the opposition was met with scrutiny, given her ties to Binay through her sister's marriage to Binay's chief of staff.[9]
Tenure
In 2014, following the Globe Asiatique housing loan scandal, Berberabe instituted a more rigid borrower evaluation system to avoid a repeat of the incident.[10]
In January 2015, the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee probed Berberabe and Binay for alleged anomalies involving the latter.[11] Senator Antonio Trillanes alleged Berberabe of conflict of interest and compliance with Binay's "pattern of corruption", noting that the corporation granted millions worth of developmental loans to four companies headed by Binay's associates under her leadership.[12][13] She denied the allegations, affirming the corporation's strict processes in awarding loans and noting that the said loan agreements have already been "flagged off".[12][13][14]
Berberabe resigned from office on February 28, 2017, to pursue other ventures. President Rodrigo Duterte subsequently appointed Acmad Rizaldy Moti as the officer in charge of the position.[16][17]
Private sector
Shortly following her resignation as the CEO of Pag-IBIG, Berberabe became the CEO of Philab Industries Incorporated.[8] She would depart from the role on October 9, 2017.[8] On April 21, 2021, SM Prime appointed Berberabe as an independent director alongside two others.[18]
Dean of the UP College of Law (since 2023)
On November 30, 2023, the UP Board of Regents appointed Berberabe as dean of the UP College of Law, succeeding Edgardo Vistan, who became chancellor.[19] Upon taking office, Berberabe became the third woman to hold the office.[4] In applying for the position, she emphasized the values of "open-mindedness, openness to discourse and professionalism" in a prospective deanship.[4]
Berberabe being sworn in as solicitor general by President Bongbong Marcos on May 29, 2025
In May 2025, the Judicial and Bar Council vetted Berberabe as a potential successor to Associate Justice Mario Lopez, who was due to retire on June 4.[24][25] The council publicly interviewed her for the position on May 14, alongside other applicants considered by the body.[24] While her lack of litigation experience was a concern during her interview, she was included as the third applicant in the shortlist transmitted to President Bongbong Marcos on May 30.[26][27][28] With a major cabinet reshuffle ongoing concurrently, Berberabe was speculated as a potential appointee to the Marcos Cabinet.[29] Mary Ann Reyes of The Philippine Star regarded Berberabe as a potential asset to the Marcos administration if named solicitor general, owing to her credentials and track record.[29]
President Marcos went on to appoint Berberabe as solicitor general on May 29, 2025.[30] Her predecessor, Menardo Guevarra, welcomed her appointment to the office, describing her as a "top-caliber lawyer" with an extensive background.[31][32]House Speaker Martin Romualdez praised the appointment, deeming Berberabe to be highly equipped for the role's demands.[33][34]
Tenure
Berberabe took oath as solicitor general on May 29, becoming the second woman after Agnes Devanadera to hold the office.[35]
Personal life
Berberabe was married to professional basketball player Samboy Lim (1959–2023) of the Philippine Basketball Association. The couple separated in 2008.[36][37] Their daughter, Jamie Lim, is a karateka who won the gold medal in the women's kumite -61kg event at the 2019 SEA Games.[38] Like her mother, Jamie graduated summa cum laude from the University of the Philippines, doing so in 2019.[39]
Director of the Administrative and Financial Services Office
Rosalynne L. Sanchez
Chief Accountant of the Accounting Division
Julieta L. Villadelrey
Chief of the Legal Affairs Division
Emily Rose Torrentira
*as Officer-in-charge **in Concurrent capacity
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