“Ten foreign delegates from 10 universities, six countries, four continents; 12 papers from academics of 11 universities; two keynote addresses; a photo opportunity that yielded a lot of camera clicks; a non-alcoholic cocktails and gala dinner; a most restful performance by a youth philharmonic orchestra; and a cultural tour of Intramuros. That certainly is not bad for three days!”
Thus began Dr. Severina Villegas, who gave the concluding remarks to the International Academy for the Study of the Jurisprudence of the Family (The Academy). Carrying the overall theme “Family and Poverty,” the Academy held its 11th annual symposium in partnership with the University of Asia and the Pacific, from June 20 to 22, the first time the symposium was held in Asia.
Specially invited to the symposium were some 30 observers from private business, academe, family promotion organizations, and government, headed by Congressman Lito Atienza of Buhay Partylist.
The Academy grew out of an international scholarly conference that convened at Boston College Law School in May of 2009. Participants in that conference supported the organization of a scholarly society to address global issues regarding laws and legal policies regulating marriage, parenting, and families.
One year after the 2009 conference, the Academy was formed, with the first international symposium held in May at the University of Bratislava, Slovakia. Since then, the Academy has held at least one international symposium every year in various areas of the world: Buenos Aires (Argentina), La Valletta (Malta), Doha (Qatar), New York City (USA), La Coruña (Spain), Tel Aviv (Israel), Arequipa (Perù), and Bialystok (Poland).
Previous symposia dealt on issues like Family and Religion, Judicial Protection of the Family, Privacy and Autonomy of the Family, Child and Family in Challenging Situations, and Family and Human Rights.
Each of the two days of the symposium proper kicked off with a well-received keynote address that set the tone for the day’s conversation. For Day 1’s keynote, Dr. Bernardo Villegas presented two major factors for poverty reduction—solid family life and sustainable education—referring the delegates and observers to the World Bank paper on “How To Attain Inclusive Growth,” and his Manila Bulletin columns on “Why the President is against Divorce” and on the bill, currently awaiting Senate approval, preventing discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity or expression (SOGIE).
For Day 2’s keynote, Congressman Joel Garcia III gave a convincing local application in Balanga City, and now in the second district of Bataan, of basing social development and poverty reduction on concrete family development and holistic child education. Citing the experience of the city under his watch with EDUCHILD Foundation, Inc., Congressman Garcia gave statistics and trends on the connection between parent and teacher formation, student personal formation, and academic achievement, employability, and community development.
The papers, which provided the participants with a broad variety of angles on the theme and application of family jurisprudence in various settings, will see print in the Academy’s research journal. The 12 papers, arranged according to the chronological sequence of their delivery, are as follows:
Affiliational Poverty and the Promotion of the Family / Scott FitzGibbon (Boston College Law School, USA)
Posterity and Prosperity: Intergenerational Justice as the Key / Jo Aurea M. Imbong (University of Asia & the Pacific, Philippines)
State Aid for Needy Families in Spain / Carmen Garcimartín (University of A. Coruña, Spain)
State Intervention Denying the Poor the Privilege of Parenting / David Pimentel (University of Idaho, USA)
The Padre de Familia: A Key Factor in Family Well-Being / Antonio N. Torralba (University of Asia and the Pacific, Philippines)
A Jewish Perspective towards altering DNA sequences and modifying gene function (CRSPR Technology) / David Bleich (Cardozo School of Law, USA)
Family Stability, Private Decisions and Social Vulnerability / Carlos Martínez de Aguirre (University of Zaragoza, Spain)
Paternity and Family: Challenges for Latin America / Carmen Domínguez (Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile)
The Limitations to the Capability of Getting Married in Chilean Law on Grounds of Psychological Disabilities / Daniela Jarufe (Universidad Católica del Norte, Chile)
Protection of the Child’s Best Interests in the Civil Enforcement Proceedings Concerning the Matters of Child’s Education, Safety and Maintaining Personal Contacts / Tjaša Ivanc (University of Maribor, Slovenia)
Filial Support to Indigent Elderly Parents in Italian Law: An Unsatisfactory Example of ‘Asymmetric’ Solidarity within the Family / Stefano Troiano (Università degli Studi di Verona, Italy)
Social Bank of Alimony as Duty of the State towards the Child / Antonio Jorge Pereira Júnior (Universidade de Fortaleza, Brasil)
An “equatorial” respite was provided on Day One through a barrio fiesta-style gala dinner that gave the foreign delegates a sampling of Filipino kundiman, Original Pilipino Music (OPM), and Broadway music through the seven-instrument Taytay Youth Philharmonic Orchestra. The informative tone was provided by a delivery of the social amelioration programs of Defending Family Values (DFV) and the Consuelo “Chito” Madrigal Foundation (CCMF), conducted by the foundation’s executive director, Dr. Socorro Bautista. The two entities were major sponsors of the symposium, hand-in-hand with the Nilo Divina Law Office, Victory Liner, and the Tourism Promotion Board.
With the following two days as eventful, it would seem then that the international symposium was a worthwhile contribution of IMFD to the University’s Golden Jubilee celebration, following on the heels of the recently concluded Family Life Education Certificate Course that yielded 44 certified family life mentors.
But that’s another story. #
Dr. Torralba is a member of the Board of Trustees of UA&P and holds the Mariano and Estelita De Jesus Que Professorial Chair for Family and Youth Education.
I write to thank you for directing, producing, and assisting in the leadership of a very fine IASJF conference. It was superbly and meticulously organized. I believe that all the participants were well cared for and bonded well with the organization.
- Scott FitzGibbon, USA
In the opinion of all participants, the conference was a great success and its direction simply perfect. As Scott wrote, everything was magnificently organized from the very beginning until the end, including the cultural tour through Intramuros.
- Stefano Troiano, Italy
It was marvelously well organized, and a success by any measure. Thanks for the wonderful hospitality and for the work of Jo (Imbong), Antonio (Torralba), Rio (Quiza), Czarina (Racelis), and so many others who made it happen.
- David Pimentel, USA
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