FOR bringing pride and honor to the country, Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada has asked the Senate to individually commend the students and coaches of the University of the Philippines (UP) College of Law who represented the country and bagged the world championship title in the 2024 Philip C. Jessup International Moot Court Competition.
In filing Senate Resolution No. 1004, Estrada said UP Law’s success, which was borne out of rigorous training, grit, determination, and teamwork, deserves a commendation from the Senate.
“The historic triumph underscores the top-notch caliber of Filipino students and the high quality of legal education in the country which can go head-to-head with the best and most brilliant minds around the world,” he said.
“The team’s skillful display of wit, remarkable grasp of international law, keen understanding of complexities of world affairs and the frameworks for the promotion of a rules-based global order signal a bright future for legal scholarship for the country. The future lawyers’ exemplary accomplishment serves as an inspiration for the younger generation to pursue excellence in their chosen field,” Estrada added.
The senator said the latest feat of the UP College of Law is “truly remarkable, cementing their reputation as among the best of the best and underscoring their legacy of excellence in the international arena.” The historic win comes nearly three decades after the UP College of Law team’s last triumph in the same competition.
The team is composed of Mary Regine Dadole, Pauline De Leon, Pauline Samantha Sagayo, Chinzen Viernes, and Ignacio Lorenzo Villareal, under the guidance of Professor Marianne Vitug as coach and Professor Rommel Casis as faculty advisor.
In another show of unparalleled skill, Villareal also received the Schwebel Award for Best Oralist in the final round of the competition.
The Jessup is considered the world’s largest, oldest and most esteemed moot court competition in the world which is held annually since 1960. This year, close to 700 law schools in 100 countries and territories vied for the highly coveted title.