On September 16 to 18, 2020, the Philippine Judicial Academy conducted a webinar series on The Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH) Conventions Webinar Series, via the Zoom platform, to present to the judges, members of the legal profession and other stakeholders the key aspects of the various HCCH Conventions to which the Philippines is a state party and engage Philippine and international experts on how these Conventions may be further utilized to advance Philippine legal practice.

Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Assistant Secretary Igor G. Bailen, through a pre-recorded message, welcomed the 384 participants from the Judiciary, executive department, and private sector. DFA Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin, Jr., Chief Justice Diosdado M. Peralta and HCCH Secretary General Dr. Christopher Bernasconi also delivered their respective messages.

The three-day webinar featured the following topics:An Overview of the HCCH, its Conventions and its Practical Effect to Private International Law in the Philippines by Ambassador J. Eduardo Malaya; Introduction and Issues on the Intercountry Adoption Convention by Inter-Country Adoption Board (ICAB) Executive Director Bernadette B. Abejo; Introduction and Issues on the Civil Aspects on International Child Abduction by Department of Justice (DOJ) Chief State Counsel George O. Ortha II; Introduction on the Apostille Convention by DFA Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs Neil Frank R. Ferrer; Legal Issues on the Apostille Convention, and Introduction and Issues on the Service Conventionby Court Administrator Jose Midas P. Marquez;Service of Processes for Extrajudicial Documents by Integrated Bar of the Philippines National President Atty. Domingo Egon Q. Cayosa; Child Support Convention by HCCH First Secretary Mr. Philippe Lortie and iSupport Coordinator Mr. Jean-Marc Pellet; The HCCH Child Support Convention and Philippine Domestic Laws by HCCH Expert Professor Elizabeth Aguiling-Pangalangan; Evidence Convention by HCCH Legal Officer Ms. Elizabeth Zorilla; Philippine Perspective on the Evidence Convention by Atty. Tranquil Gervacio S. Salvador III, Member of the Supreme Court Rules Committee; Choice of Court Convention and Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Judgment by HCCH Senior Legal Officer Dr. Ning Zhao; Philippine Perspective on Choice of Court and Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Judgment by Court of Appeals Associate Justice Maria Filomena D. Singh.

In the afternoon, participants were given the opportunity to engage the speakers in interesting open forum sessions. Panel speakers answered the questions which were either posted on the Zoom chat box or sent to them directly by the participants.

During the closing ceremonies, DFA Assistant Secretary Bailen and PHILJA Chancellor Justice Adolfo S. Azcuna delivered the message and the closing remarks, respectively. This webinar series was held in partnership with the SC–Office of the Court Administrator, the HCCH, and the Department of Foreign Affairs through its Office of Treaties and Legal Affairson the occasion of the Philippines’ 10 ^th year of membership on the Hague Conference on Private International Law.

The HCCH, convened in 1893, is an intergovernmental organization whose purpose is “to work for the progressive unification of the rules of private international law.” Currently, the Hague Conference has 85 members: 84 States and 1 Regional Economic Integration Organization (European Union).

The Philippines became a member of the Hague Conference in 2010 when it deposited its instrument of Accession to the Statute; it entered into force for the Philippines on July 14, 2010. Pursuant to the Statute, the National Organ for the Philippines to the Conference is the Office of Treaties and Legal Affairs of the DFA.

Out of the 39 HCCH Conventions, the Philippines is a state party to four Conventions: 1) Intercountry Adoption (in 1996), 2) Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction (in 2016), 3) Apostille (in 2019), and 4) Service (in 2020).