On August 27, 2024, the UP College of Law, through the UP Institute of International Legal Studies (UP IILS) welcomed Secretary General of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) Dr. Marcin Czepelak as he joined other great legal and diplomatic minds in international law for the roundtable discussion (RTD) entitled “The Rules-Based International Order from Perspectives in International Law” held on the same day.

Prior to the RTD proper, Dr. Czepelak was joined by Senior Legal Counsel Julian Bordacahar (the PCA Representative in Argentina/the Latin American region) and Senior Legal Counsel Neil Nucup (the PCA Representative in Vietnam/the Southeast Asian Region), as he met with Secretary of Foreign Affairs H.E. Enrique Manalo, Senior Associate Justice Justice Marvic M.V.F. Leonen, UP President Angelo A. Jimenez, Dr. Nilufer Oral (Member of the International Law Commission), Philippine Ambassador to the Netherlands J. Eduardo Malaya (Acting President of the PCA’s Administrative Council from 2023-2024), Dean Antonio La Vina (Member of the PCA), and UP IILS Director Professor Rommel J. Casis.

During this meeting, Dr. Czepelak and Amb. Malaya briefly discussed the work done by the PCA with the rest of the discussants gathered, and during the panel discussion proper during the RTD, Dr. Czepelak, himself the former Ambassador of Poland to the Netherlands and currently a professor of private international law, emphasized the importance of international dispute resolution and its place in rules-based international order (RBIO). The RTD went on to discuss RBIO from both domestic and international perspectives, as well as RBIO vis a vis multilateral trade and Philippine interests.

Dr. Czepelak’s visit to the UP College of Law is part of his first official visit to the Philippines as the PCA marks its 125th anniversary, and follows a long line of customary visits by the Secretary General to the PCA’s Member States in pursuit of the promotion of the PCA’s goal of peaceful resolution of international disputes. His visit to the Philippines also seeks to promote the PCA as a center for legal scholarship and education as it participates and hosts seminars, workshops, and conferences on international law and dispute resolution.

During the duration of his visit to the Philippines, aside from his visit to the UP College of Law, he spoke at forums hosted by the Philippine Dispute Resolution Center as well as the Ateneo School of Law, meeting the country’s law practitioners, academe, and students. He also recognized the Philippines’ support of the PCA during his courtesy call to Secretary Manalo.

The PCA is the oldest existing international organization dedicated to the peaceful settlement of international disputes, having been established in 1899 by the Convention on the Pacific Settlement of International Disputes. During its 125 years, the PCA developed into a modern, multi-faceted arbitral institution capable of meeting the evolving needs of the international community vis a vis dispute resolution. Currently, it has one of the heaviest caseloads of all international courts and tribunals; in 2023, it supported a whopping 218 registry cases, the highest on record. The PCA is composed of 123 Member States, with the Philippines having joined in 2010.