Institute of International Legal Studies

Institute of International Legal Studies The Institute of International Legal Studies is a research institute in the UP Law Center.

The IILS is one of the five (5) institutes constituting the UP Law Center through which the research and extension functions of the UP College of Law are carried out. Following the reorganization of the UP Law Center by the UP Board of Regents in May 1989, the IILS took over the functions of the International Studies Institute of the Philippines (ISIP) and the Academy of ASEAN Law and Jurisprudenc

e (AALJ) and was formally organized in November of the same year. The establishment of the IILS is considered a recognition of the need to focus scholarly activity into alternative approaches or strategies in dealing with Philippine foreign policy questions. To fulfill its mandate, the IILS, identifies the major issues affecting Philippine foreign policy and foreign relations, organizes and supports research and extension activities in these areas towards building capacity and expertise. IILS is also a base for sustained opportunities for Filipino scholars to contribute solutions to regional and global problems affecting the Philippines. Currently, the IILS is undertaking research and extension activities in the fields of International Trade and Economic Law, ASEAN, International Comparative Law, Territorial Studies, International Humanitarian law, Private and Transactional International Law and International Environmental Law. It also receives requests for opinions and other forms of legal assistance from Congress, the Supreme Court, the Department of Foreign affairs and the Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, among others. To this end, IILS maintains institutional linkages with both national and international organizations involved in international law issues.

Para Doxa is still accepting submissions for blog articles and short discussion papers centered on the following monthly...
11/05/2026

Para Doxa is still accepting submissions for blog articles and short discussion papers centered on the following monthly themes:

June: Relevance of International Law in light of Current Events
July: United Nations - Revisiting its Role in Peace and Security
August: International Humanitarian Law - New Challenges and New Frontiers of Applicability
September: Environmental Law - Accountability and Responsibility for Climate-induced Disasters
October: International Criminal Law - Accountability and Victim Participation
November: International Law and Technology - AI, Cybersecurity, and the Digital Future and International Trade and Financial Law - Emerging Issues
December: International Law and Human Rights - Revisiting State Commitments and Holding the Private Sector to Account

We invite students, faculty, research fellows, visiting scholars to submit their written works following the Submission Guidelines which can be accessed via: https://bit.ly/GuidelinesParaDoxa. Authors may choose to submit under any of the categories listed above, however accepted submissions will only be published during the month in which the theme of their submission falls.

To know more about Para Doxa, visit https://law.upd.edu.ph/IILS/pages/para-doxa/.

Only one week left for the submission of article abstracts for the Philippine Yearbook of International Law (PYIL) speci...
08/05/2026

Only one week left for the submission of article abstracts for the Philippine Yearbook of International Law (PYIL) special issue commemorating the 10th anniversary of the 2016 Arbitral Award of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in Philippines v China.

Interested contributors are invited to submit article abstracts of up to 300 words to [email protected] with the subject Abstract Submission - PYIL 2026 Special Issue by 15 May 2026. Please note that accepted contributors will be required to participate in a hybrid authors’ workshop prior to final submission.

The PYIL is an annual publication dedicated to international law as it is relevant to the Philippines. It regularly features original scholarly work and chronicles each year's treaties, judicial decisions, legislation, administrative issuances, and events of note related to the Philippine state of practice of international law. The PYIL is published by the University of the Philippines.

For more information, please visit https://law.upd.edu.ph/.../philippine-yearbook.../ or inquire through the email address provided above. Alternatively, you may also view the publication material through this link: https://bit.ly/PYIL2026CfP.

Para (παρά) meaning “beside or beyond”; Doxa (δόξα) meaning “opinion” Para Doxa (beyond opinion) is the Institute of I...
27/04/2026

Para (παρά) meaning “beside or beyond”; Doxa (δόξα) meaning “opinion”

Para Doxa (beyond opinion) is the Institute of International Legal Studies’ (IILS) online academic commentary platform dedicated to publishing short-form, analytically rigorous discussions on developments in international law and global governance in the form of blog articles and/or short discussion papers.

This platform which can be accessed via: https://law.upd.edu.ph/IILS/pages/para-doxa/ serves as a critical resource for academic audiences, practitioners, and policymakers.

We are currently accepting blog articles and short discussion papers centered on the following monthly themes:

June: Relevance of International Law in light of Current Events
July: United Nations - Revisiting its Role in Peace and Security
August: International Humanitarian Law - New Challenges and New Frontiers of Applicability
September: Environmental Law - Accountability and Responsibility for Climate-induced Disasters
October: International Criminal Law - Accountability and Victim Participation
November: International Law and Technology - AI, Cybersecurity, and the Digital Future and International Trade and Financial Law - Emerging Issues
December: International Law and Human Rights - Revisiting State Commitments and Holding the Private Sector to Account

IILS invites students, faculty, research fellows, visiting scholars to submit their written works following the Submission Guidelines which can be accessed via: https://bit.ly/GuidelinesParaDoxa. Authors may choose to submit under any of the categories listed above, however accepted submissions will only be published during the month in which the theme of their submission falls.

[CALL FOR PAPERS EXTENDED]The Asia Pacific Journal of International Humanitarian Law (APJIHL) is extending the deadline ...
20/04/2026

[CALL FOR PAPERS EXTENDED]

The Asia Pacific Journal of International Humanitarian Law (APJIHL) is extending the deadline for submissions to the 2026 Edition to May 15, 2026.

To know more about APJIHL and our submission guidelines, visit our website at http://apjihl.org.

The Philippine Yearbook of International Law (PYIL) is now accepting submissions for its special issue commemorating the...
15/04/2026

The Philippine Yearbook of International Law (PYIL) is now accepting submissions for its special issue commemorating the 10th anniversary of the 2016 Arbitral Award of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in Philippines v China.

The Philippine Yearbook of International Law is an annual publication dedicated to international law as it is relevant to the Philippines. It regularly features original scholarly work and chronicles each year's treaties, judicial decisions, legislation, administrative issuances, and events of note related to the Philippine state of practice of international law. The PYIL is published by the University of the Philippines.

Interested contributors are invited to submit article abstracts of up to 300 words to [email protected] with the subject Abstract Submission - PYIL 2026 Special Issue by 15 May 2026. Please note that accepted contributors will be required to participate in a hybrid authors’ workshop prior to final submission.

For more information, please visit https://law.upd.edu.ph/iils_publications/philippine-yearbook-international-law/ or inquire through the email address provided above. Alternatively, you may also view the publication material through this link: https://bit.ly/PYIL2026CfP.

The Institute of International Legal Studies is accepting applications for part-time positions of two (2) research assis...
14/04/2026

The Institute of International Legal Studies is accepting applications for part-time positions of two (2) research assistants.

Interested applicants can send their letter of intent, CV, and TCG to [email protected] on or before April 30, 2026. Kindly note that the position is open only to enrolled UP College of Law students.

The Institute of International Legal Studies Hosts the Largest Southeast Asian Regional Rounds of the Stetson Internatio...
14/04/2026

The Institute of International Legal Studies Hosts the Largest Southeast Asian Regional Rounds of the Stetson International Environmental Moot Court Competition

The 2026 Southeast Asian Regional Rounds (SEARR) of the 30th Stetson International Environmental Moot Court Competition (Stetson IEMCC) welcomed a record-breaking 33 teams from January 15–17, 2026, at Malcolm Hall, University of the Philippines Diliman. The 2026 SEARR marked the largest number of team participants in the regional round competition's history, with 131 participants representing 25 universities from four countries, all competing in both the written and oral rounds. SEARR serves as the regional qualifying round for the Stetson IEMCC, which is recognized as the most prestigious international environmental law moot court competition in the world.

The 2026 problem (Anecoyon v. Ridus: Questions Relating to Prior Informed Consent and Benefit-Sharing in the Context of De-Extinction) featured the Royal Panther and raised novel issues regarding de-extinction and the intersection of environmental law, biotechnology, and consent in the context of commercial activity.

The agents presented their arguments before seasoned judges with extensive international moot court experience and distinguished careers in the legal field, hailing from different parts of the world. This year, SEARR was honored by the presence of the founder of Stetson IEMCC, Dr. Royal C. Gardner, Hugh F. Culverhouse Professor of Law and Director of the Institute for Biodiversity Law and Policy at Stetson University College of Law. An expert in wetland law and policy, Dr. Gardner served as a judge in the Final Round, where he was joined by Stetson alums, Atty. Railla Veronica Puno and Atty. Ignacio Lorenzo Villareal.

Atty. Puno is a specialist in international climate change and environmental law, with over a decade of experience in policy-oriented research and legal work with governments, think tanks, multilateral organizations, and civil society. She concurrently serves as a Strategic Initiatives Manager for JADE Dialogues, a Coordinator of the Climate Law and Governance Initiative, an Associate Fellow of the Centre for International Sustainable Development Law, and a Policy Council Member for South and Southeast Asia of the Rihla Initiative for Green Economic Growth.

Atty. Villareal is a distinguished mooter and the 2024 World Champion of the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition, where he was also awarded Best Oralist of the Championship Round. He likewise competed in the international rounds of the 27th Stetson, earning recognition as the Second Best Oralist of the Preliminary Rounds and reaching the semi-finals.

At the end of the three-day competition, Team 1211 from Singapore Management University emerged as the Champion, with Team 1219 from West Visayas University securing the Runner-Up position. They will be joined by Team 1215 from Ateneo de Manila University, Team 1223 from Singapore Management University, Yong Pung How School of Law, and Team 1236 from the University of the Philippines. SEARR’s top qualifying teams will represent Southeast Asia during the Annual Stetson IEMCC to be held at Stetson’s Gulfport, Florida campus on April 15-18, 2026.

Mr. John Matthew A. Tuazon of Ateneo de Manila University was awarded Best Speaker in the Preliminary Rounds. At the same time, Ms. Lee Jing Jess Tan of Singapore Management University was named Best Speaker in the Final Rounds.

SEARR is an annual event organized by the Institute of International Legal Studies of the UP Law Center under its International Environmental Law Program. The SEARR supports the Law Center's mandate in legal education by providing law schools across the Philippines and Southeast Asia with a unique opportunity to compete with the best in the region. SEARR also fosters meaningful academic exchange and networking among ASEAN law schools, further solidifying the Philippines' reputation as a premier venue for world-class moot court competitions.

The SEARR organizing committee wishes our Southeast Asian representatives the best of luck in the upcoming competition!

The Institute of International Legal Studies announces the online publication of the Special Issue of the Philippine Yea...
08/04/2026

The Institute of International Legal Studies announces the online publication of the Special Issue of the Philippine Yearbook of International Law (PYIL) in Honor of its former Editor-in-Chief, Dean Merlin M. Magallona.

Dean Merlin M. Magallona was a Professor of Law at the University of thePhilippines, where he taught Public International Law, Legal Philosophy, and Legal History and served as Dean of the College from 1994–1999.

Under Dean Magallona’s leadership, the PYIL was relaunched as a space for serious and critical writing in International Law from a Filipino perspective. This volume is a testament of Dean Magallona’s lasting scholarship through the various articles, tributes, events, and eulogies that are made in his honor.

The Special Issue can be accessed via: https://new-pages.upd.edu.ph/pyil/2026/04/07/special-issue/

The Institute of International Legal Studies partnered with the Association of Young International Criminal Lawyers for ...
23/03/2026

The Institute of International Legal Studies partnered with the Association of Young International Criminal Lawyers for a two-day workshop on “How to Become an International Criminal Lawyer” last March 12-13 via Zoom. Diana Constantinide, a barrister at 33 Bedford Row Chambers specializing in international criminal law, public international law, and human rights led the workshop attended by over 70 participants. Diana is a seasoned counsel who has represented before domestic and international tribunals.

Participants were given a guide on how to build a career in international criminal law through a thorough discussion of the qualification and application requirements to various international courts. During the open forum, the participants were able to interact with Diana and received tailored advice on how to build their career given their current backgrounds and qualifications.

The Institute continues to collaborate with international associations in bringing the practice more accessible to Filipinos.

The Institute of International Legal Studies in partnership with the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) conducted the for...
19/03/2026

The Institute of International Legal Studies in partnership with the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) conducted the forum: “Space Law Today: Treaties, Obligations, and Legal Challenges in the Contemporary International Order” last March 11, 2026 at the Atencio Libunao Hall, University of the Philippines-Diliman.

The event brought together space enthusiasts from different sectors for a half-day lecture on space activity and its growing complexities that have attracted discourse over the years at national, regional, and international levels. Opening the event was UP Vice President for Research and Innovation, Dr. Joel Joseph Marciano Jr., representing UP President Angelo A. Jimenez, and PhilSA Ad Interim Director General Gay Jane P. Perez, PhD.

VP Marciano Jr. in his personal remarks took a look back on the early days of the PhilSA and how it started with a collaboration with various scientific institutions within the university. UP President Angelo A. Jimenez likewise recognized the vital role of domestic policies in recognizing legal implications of contemporary international law issues such as space law and the commitment of the University to contribute through discussion, research, and policy engagement. For her remarks, Dir. Gen. Perez highlighted the achievements and collaborations of the PhilSA in forwarding Philippines’ interest in the area of space law. She called for the cooperation and information sharing among nations in order to further the capabilities of space within nations.

This was followed by an extensive lecture on the current space treaties and their legal implications by Rosanna Deim-Hoffmann, Lead for Space Law and Policy at the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), where she leads the Global Space Law Project. Ms. Rosanna introduced various governing bodies in-charge of formulating policies governing space activity such as the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) and the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs which serves as the COPUOS secretariat. She also gave a brief lecture on existing international frameworks, international space law and UNOOSA’s other mandates, the Register of Objects Launched Into Outer Space and the Global Space Law Project.

The open forum led to an enriching discussion with participants, raising questions on the implementation of various space treaties especially within the domestic landscape, capacity building of the UNOOSA against current technological realities.

Dean Gwen Grecia De-Vera closed the event by underscoring international cooperation as a pillar for the continued rise of space activity undertaken by state and non-state actors. She also emphasizes the importance of education in building a sustainable framework for cooperation that upholds states’ legal obligations.

The Institute looks forward to more opportunities to explore the world and beyond through innovative partnerships with PhilSA!

𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰 𝗶𝗻 𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲? 🌏 𝗔𝗻𝗼-𝗮𝗻𝗼 𝗮𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗴𝗮 𝗯𝗮𝘁𝗮𝘀 𝘂𝗸𝗼𝗹 𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗼? ⚖️🚀 As part of the ASEAN Space Situational Awareness (SSA) and Spac...
12/03/2026

𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰 𝗶𝗻 𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲? 🌏 𝗔𝗻𝗼-𝗮𝗻𝗼 𝗮𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗴𝗮 𝗯𝗮𝘁𝗮𝘀 𝘂𝗸𝗼𝗹 𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗼? ⚖️🚀

As part of the ASEAN Space Situational Awareness (SSA) and Space Traffic Management (STM) Workshop, the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) and the University of the Philippines College of Law-Institute of International Legal Studies (IILS) hosted a public lecture titled “Space Law Today: Treaties, Obligations, and Legal Challenges in the Contemporary International Order” on 11 March 2026 at the Atencio-Libunao Hall in UP Diliman.

The lecture was delivered by Rosanna Hoffman, Legal and Programme Officer for Space Law at the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), who leads the Global Space Law Project and serves as Secretary of the COPUOS Working Group on Legal Aspects of Space Resources Activities.

The discussion highlighted how international space treaties guide responsible space activities and support cooperation in managing an increasingly active and congested space environment, including emerging efforts in space situational awareness and space traffic management.

Watch a recording of the talk here: https://bit.ly/4cI76W4

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