The country will continue to adhere to international law, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. asserted on Thursday.
The Chief Executive made the remark as he cited the importance of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), which he said is a vital part of Philippine foreign policy considering all the present challenges it faces.
“The Permanent Court of Arbitration is an important part of our foreign policy considering all the challenges that we are facing right now. And our continuing adherence to international law,” President Marcos told Marcin Czepelak, the Secretary-General of the PCA during a courtesy call in Malacañang.
“The Court of Arbitration is [important]… that is an argument that we make and have made in several instances. It’s very [gratifying] [you have visited] Manila,” he added.
Czepelak, for his part, expressed gratitude to President Marcos for having the time to meet him, noting that it is his first time visiting the country.
“It is my first time and it is fantastic experience to be able to, first, I meet a lot of people and then I’m allowed to even visit some places. And I’m very happy that you found the time,” the visiting PCA official said.
Czepelak will stay in the Philippines from August 26 to 30.
It is customary for PCA officials to visit Contracting Parties to promote the Court’s dispute settlement mechanisms.
Czepelak expressed interest in exploring the potential for establishing a Host Country Agreement (HCA) with the Philippines to facilitate PCA hearings within the nation.
His visit offers a valuable opportunity to highlight the Philippines’ commitment to international law, peaceful dispute resolution, and the PCA, as well as to congratulate the Arbitral Court on its 125th anniversary.
Czepelak noted the Philippines’ substantial contributions to the organization, especially with its current presidency of the PCA Administrative Council.
On December 12, 2022, Philippine Ambassador J. Eduardo Malaya was elected as acting president of the Administrative Council of the PCA for a 2023-2024 term during the Council’s 208th Session at the Peace Palace in The Hague.
Malaya is the first Filipino and second non-Dutch national to head the PCA Administrative Council.
Malaya affirmed the Philippines’ commitment to contributing to the PCA’s important undertakings and pledged to work closely with member states and Czepelak.
Prior to his assumption as Secretary-General of the PCA, Czepelak served as Poland’s ambassador to the Netherlands and Permanent Representative to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.
Czepelak gives lectures on the law of international agreements, private international law, and the international law of succession at the Department of Private International Law, Jagiellonian University, and has been associated with several international research centers, including the Max Planck Institute in Hamburg and the University of Cambridge. PND
