FSI Launches 3rd Basic Course of the Law of the Sea Academy
(Left to Right) Prof. Jay L. Batongbacal, Dr. Rhodora V. Azanza, Atty. Jacqueline Joyce F. Espenilla, ASec. Marshall Louis M. Alferez, Ms. Lea C. Avilla, DA Efren P. Carandang, and Atty. Benjamin Felipe S. Tabios Jr.
MANILA 23 April 2025 — The Foreign Service Institute (FSI) successfully launched the 3rd iteration of the Basic Course of the Law of the Sea Academy (3rd BCLSA) from 24 to 29 March 2025 in Baguio City and San Fernando, La Union.
The program featured lectures delivered by high-caliber experts and practitioners, including Dr. Jay L. Batongbacal, Director of the University of the Philippines Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea (UP-IMLOS); Dr. Rhodora V. Azanza, Professor Emeritus at the UP Marine Science Institute (UPMSI); Professor Jacqueline Joyce F. Espenilla, Chairperson at the Philippine Judicial Academy, International Maritime Law Development; Assistant Secretary Marshall Louis M. Alferez of the Maritime and Ocean Affairs Office, Department of Foreign Affairs; Ms. Lea C. Avilla, Officer-in-Charge of the Coastal and Marine Ecosystems Section, Biodiversity Management Bureau, Department of Environment and Natural Resources; Deputy Administrator Efren P. Carandang of the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA) and Philippine representative to the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS), and; Atty Benjamin Felipe S. Tabios, Jr., former Assistant Director of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.
The 3rd BCLSA concluded with a study visit to the Kasay Marine Protected Area (KMPA) in San Fernando, La Union—a marine sanctuary home to diverse marine species, including giant clams and turtles. Representatives from the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO), KMPA, and the United States Peace Corps briefed participants on the state of the marine sanctuary, highlighting the robust collaborative efforts among local community members, government agencies, and other stakeholders in protecting and preserving the marine protected area.
The 3rd BCLSA was participated by 43 attendees, including representatives from FSI, Armed Forces of the Philippines – Northern Luzon Command (AFP NOLCOM), Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), National Defense College of the Philippines (NDCP), National Security Council (NSC), Philippine Military Academy (PMA), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Philippine Navy (PN), Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA), Presidential Office for Maritime Concerns (POMC), Senate of the Philippines, and House of Representatives.
The Law of the Sea Summer Program was launched in April 2024 with a vision to be the premier learning resource for public servants to engage with Philippine maritime experts and practitioners to deepen their understanding and appreciation of maritime affairs, in support of a whole-of-government approach. FSI is poised to convene two more sessions of the Law of the Sea Academy this year, one of which will take place in Davao City in order to make the learning opportunity accessible to personnel of national government agencies in Mindanao.
FSI is the training and research agency attached to the DFA. It was created under Presidential Decree No. 1060 and its remit was expanded by Republic Act No. 7157. The Secretary of Foreign Affairs chairs the FSI Board with the Chairperson of the Civil Service Commission (CSC), Director General of FSI, President of the University of the Philippines (UP), and President of the Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP) as members. END
Participants from different agencies actively engaged in workshops during the 5-day lecture.
Atty. Tabios and the participants after his lecture on fisheries management.