Article by:
Joyce Ann L. Rocamora
MANILA – A Filipino book offering essential updates on international legal standards was officially launched in the Philippines on Friday.
The second edition of "Treaties and Guidance on Practices and Procedures," co-authored by Philippine Ambassador to the Netherlands J. Eduardo Malaya and University of the Philippines (UP) College of Law Prof. Rommel Casis, is seen to serve as a valuable reference for law practitioners amid shifts in the landscape of Philippine treaty law and practice.
"This second edition is not just an update, it is a vital roadmap for navigating the intricacies of treaty negotiations," Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Assistant Secretary for Office of Treaties and Legal Affairs (OTLA) Edgar Badajos said during the book launch in Pasay City.
Badajos said at least two significant updates were included in the latest edition -- DFA-OTLA Circular No. 01-2025, which simplified the requirements for special authority and full powers; and the Office of the President Memorandum Circular No. 51-2024, covering request for authority to negotiate and sign international agreements, including foreign loans and grants.
"In the complex world of international relations, if diplomacy is the bridge that connects then the law is the bedrock on which that bridge is built," he said. "Without the clarity of procedure and stability of legal frameworks, the agreements we forge would be fragile at best."
The official said the book's updated edition not only documents rules but also safeguards the Philippines’ commitments by bridging the gap between the academe and the frontliners of Philippine diplomacy.
In the foreword, DFA Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro said the book will provide practitioners a compilation of fragmented sources and procedural clarity "needed by treaty practitioners to navigate the complex landscape of international relations."
Copies of the book are available at the UP Law Center Bookroom. (PNA)
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