The Institute of International Legal Studies (IILS) facilitated a three-day online training seminar on international law and space law with the staff of the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) from June 2 to 4, 2021.

Director General Joel Joseph Marciano Jr. opened the seminar on June 2, saying that it would help the agency with the “creation, development, and implementation of national and international space policies.”

“This is surely an excellent opportunity for us as we continue to explore these legal concepts and principles in space and international law, especially as they relate to our operations and our ongoing work,” Dr. Marciano said.

UP College of Law Associate Dean Jay Batongbacal called the online seminar the “first of its kind” in the country, given that space law is a new field the Philippines is branching out into.

“Space law is something that in the international community and international law also still relatively new compared to its counterparts in other fields, so it is quite exciting from an academic standpoint to be at the forefront of doing research on this body of law,” Dr. Batongbacal said.

While recognizing that there is a “steep learning curve” when it comes to space law, IILS Director Rommel Casis said he was hopeful that the partnership between the two agencies would lead to further engagement and fruitful collaboration.

“Hopefully what we’ve discussed in the past three days would be helpful for you, maybe not immediately, but over the course of your work,” Prof. Casis said.

Around 30 participants from PhilSA attended the training workshop. Prof. Casis gave an overview of International Agreements and the Philippine Constitution, as well as Public International Law, while Dr. Batongbacal discussed the Law of the Sea, Private International Law, and Special Issues in Space Law. IILS Senior Legal Associate C. Therese Guiao presented an introduction to Space Law, with a particular focus on the Registration and Liability Conventions.