THE International Bureau of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) has confirmed the appointments of four Filipinos as members of the Permanent Court of Arbitration.

The four are Dr. Raul Pangalangan, Prof. Sedfrey Candelaria, Dr. Antonio Gabriel M. La Viña and Philippine Ambassador to the Netherlands J. Eduardo Malaya.

Dr. Pangalangan, professor of Law at the University of the Philippines, is former judge of the International Criminal Court (2015-2021), while Prof. Candelaria, a professor of Law at the Ateneo de Manila University, is chief of Office of the Research, Publications and Linkages Office of the Philippine Judicial Academy.

Dr. La Vina is a former member of the PCA Specialized Panel of Arbitrators and Experts (Environmental Disputes) (2016-2022) and currently Associate Director for Climate Policy and International Relations of the Manila Observatory.

Malaya is acting president of the PCA Administrative Council for term 2023-2024.

Pursuant to the 1899 and 1907 Hague Convention for the Pacific Settlement of International Disputes, each Member State may appoint up to four individuals who possess exceptional expertise in international law who will be included in the list of those who are available to serve as arbitrators under the auspices of the PCA for a term of six years.

Additionally, the Members of the Court appointed by each Member State shall comprise its national group, which grants them the privilege to nominate candidates for the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and propose candidates for the Nobel Peace Prize, in collaboration with the ICJ judges.

The previous Philippine Members of the PCA were former Chief Justices Artemio Panganiban, Reynato Puno, retired Justice Jose Vitug and Dr. Pangalangan.

A Congress of the Members of the Court will convene in June 2024 as part of the activities for the PCA’s 125th anniversary this year.

The Congress will only be the third time in history when the Members of the Court of the PCA from the different Member States will gather and chart the future of the organization.

The first was during the first Hague Peace Conference in 1899 and the second during the centennial of the PCA in 1999.

The PCA is the first and foremost permanent inter-governmental organization providing a forum for the resolution of international disputes through arbitration and other peaceful means.

The Administrative Council provides general guidance on the work and general direction of the PCA and supervises its administration, budget and expenditure.

It shapes the policy of the organization in consultation with the Secretary-General.