DFA Officials Meet with Chief Justice Peralta on Joint Projects for the Efficient Administration of Justice 

Foreign Affairs Undersecretary J. Eduardo Malaya (third from right), Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary for Treaties and Legal Affairs Igor Bailen (third from left), Supreme Court Chief Justice Diosdado M. Peralta (center), Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez (second from right), Deputy Court Administrator Raul Villanueva (rightmost), DFA Treaties-Economic and Socio-cultural Director Melissa Telan (second from left) and Atty. Jill De Dumo-Cornista (leftmost).

MANILA 01 February 2021 – Foreign Affairs Undersecretary J. Eduardo Malaya and Assistant Secretary for Treaties and Legal Affairs Igor Bailen paid a courtesy call on Supreme Court Chief Justice Diosdado M. Peralta on Wednesday, 27 January 2021, to discuss joint projects on the videoconferencing hearings in Philippine foreign service posts and the international convention on child support. 

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) officials welcomed the Guidelines on the Conduct of Videoconferencing Hearings that the Supreme Court promulgated on 09 December last year, stating that it will contribute to the speedy administration of justice for Filipinos in the country as well as those residing overseas. The Guidelines provide that Philippine embassies and consulates can serve as venues for online hearings which require the presence of Filipino litigants based abroad. The Department officials committed to issue the necessary implementing instructions to Embassies and Consulates General within three months to facilitate the requests of party litigants.

Present during the meeting were Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez, Deputy Court Administrator Raul Villanueva, DFA Treaties-Economic and Socio-cultural Director Melissa Telan, and Atty. Jill De Dumo-Cornista. 

The meeting also took up the Child Support Convention which the Department representatives emphasized will address the concerns of Filipino parents who wish to recover child support from other parents residing abroad. Chief Justice Peralta said that the Supreme Court prioritized the Convention and created a Special Committee last year to map out the actions that need to be undertaken. 

The Child Support Convention is an international instrument under The Hague Conference on Private International Law or HCCH, an international organization based at The Hague, The Netherlands, which works for the unification of private international law. 

The Philippines is presently a State Party to three HCCH Conventions, including the Apostille, Service of Process and the Civil Aspects of Child Abduction. The Department serves as the Philippines’ national organ to the HCCH. END