Philippines puts 1,600 international treaties online

Foreign Affairs Albert del Rosario (right) listens to the briefing on how to access the Philippine Treaties Online. DFA Photo

MANILA, Philippines—The Philippines has entered into 1,600 international agreements since 1946 and the Department of Foreign Affairs is now putting them online.

The Philippine Treaties Online project is the DFA’s response to the Aquino administration’s call for a “transparent, accountable and participatory governance,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario said Wednesday.

“It is best to make the terms of these agreements easily accessible to our people, as these agreements not only embody our country’s international commitments but, more importantly, contain immense opportunities for our people,” del Rosario said.

Various sectors—from entrepreneurs to farmers and students—can benefit from the agreements on investment, countryside development and educational programs with foreign countries and institutions, the DFA said in a statement.

Outgoing Assistant Secretary for Legal Affairs and now Philippine Ambassador-designate to Malaysia J. Eduardo Malaya initiated the treaties digitization project in partnership with the Supreme Court’s Library Services. Malaya served until recently as DFA spokesman in a concurrent capacity.