The Philippine Institute of Arbitrators, Inc. (“PIArb”)

The Philippine Institute of Arbitrators (“PIArb”) is the first learned society in the Philippines dedicated to both promoting private dispute resolution within the country and pursuing initiatives to enable the country to serve as a viable and practical venue for private dispute resolution.

Vision and Mission Statement

The mission of PIArb is to be the voice for private dispute resolution in the Philippines. PIArb envisions the use of arbitration and other modes of dispute resolution other than resolution by a court as the primary means of resolving conflict in the Philippines. To pursue this vision, PIArb aims to:

• Be the private sector’s leading advocate of private dispute resolution;
• Be the benchmark provider of awareness, education, and certification programs on private dispute resolution;
• Facilitate research in support of its role as advocate and educator; and
• Serve as the primary private sector forum on private dispute resolution policy and practice.

Genesis and Primary Rationale

PIArb was founded on the initiative of the first 3 Filipino Fellows of Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (“CIArb”) of the United Kingdom, the world’s leading learned society promoting private dispute resolution. The nucleus of PIArb’s initial membership is the current membership of the Philippine Chapter of CIArb’s East Asia Branch (“CIArb-EAB PC”).

Being a learned society, as against a dispute resolution service provider / administrator, allows PIArb to focus on advocacy, research & development, community-building, and public awareness; as against provision / administration of dispute resolution services. This distinction is developed and present in other countries that have become centers for private dispute resolution, particularly in the East Asia region.

PIArb and CIArb in the Philippines

While both PIArb and CIArb are independent of each other, both complement each other in the Philippines in view of their similar visions and objectives.

From CIArb’s perspective, it is in a position to provide PIArb with:

• Guidance and support through the provision of international faculty as well as mentoring and certifying of local faculty;
• Developed content, in the form of tried and tested course material that is continually updated; and
• An international network of conferences and events throughout the year and a vibrant and active international stakeholder community.

On PIArb’s part, it facilitates CIArb’s reach in the Philippines by providing CIArb with:

• A local legal presence with an established juridical personality;
• A local champion of the CIArb vision; and
• A facility for the full entry of the Philippines into the international private dispute resolution community in general, and more Filipino members in CIArb in particular.

Benefits of Joining

Joining PIArb entitles prospective members to a host of benefits including:

• World-class arbitration training, reference materials, and certification;
• A facility for developing private dispute resolution initially within the country, and for promoting the Philippines as a venue for private dispute resolution in the international stage over the long-term; and
• International networking opportunities, through international conferences, courses, competitions, and other events.

2022 PIArb Officers

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