Hague Academy Special Program for the Office of Solicitor General to be Held in Manila

(From left to right) Ambassador J. Eduardo Malaya, Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra, Secretary General Jean-Marc Thouvenin and Ms. Anna Vasilyeva

THE HAGUE 18 June 2024 – A signing ceremony of the Terms of Reference between the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) and The Hague Academy of International Law (THAIL) on “Special Programme of Courses on International Law” was held at The Hague Academy headquarters in Peace Palace, The Hague on 10 June 2024.

Signing on behalf of the OSG was Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra, while Secretary General Prof. Jean-Marc Thouvenin signed for the Hague Academy.

Ambassador J. Eduardo Malaya and Ms. Anna Vasilyeva of The Hague Academy witnessed the signing of the Terms of Reference.

In his remarks, Solicitor General Guevarra stated that the “initiative to bring this special programme on international law will further expand our domestic capacity in handling international cases and litigation.”

The Programme in the Philippines aims to provide specialized training for the officials of the OSG, specifically on the law of the sea, environmental law, State-State dispute settlement, and investor-state arbitration. It will be held in Manila in November 2024.

The Terms of Reference cited this partnership as the “advancement and dissemination of international law ... demonstrating the commitment of the Office of the Solicitor General of the Philippines to strengthen its capacity in interpreting and applying international law, ultimately contributing to the effective administration of justice in cases involving international legal principles and obligations.”

Likewise in attendance at the signing ceremony were Assistant Solicitor General George Ortha II, Senior State Solicitor Joel Villaseran and the Embassy’s First Secretary and Consul Jarie Osias, Third Secretary and Vice Consul Marisar Ivy Cabatingan and Legal Officer Edna Yasay.

In February 2024, the Hague Academy conducted the first-ever full Program on Demand outside of The Hague in the Philippines, which was attended by the Philippine justices, judges and court attorneys as well as lawyers with the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Department of Justice, the Office of the Solicitor General and the law academe.

Over the years, numerous Filipino lawyers have participated in the Academy’s courses, enriching their knowledge and experiences and thereafter contributing to the advancement of the Philippine legal and judicial system. END

(From left to right) Senior State Solicitor Joel Villaseran, Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra, and Assistant Solicitor General George Ortha II

For more information, visit https://www.thehaguepe.dfa.gov.ph, https://twitter.com/PHinTheHague, or https://www.facebook.com/PHinTheNetherlands/.