(Bandar Seri Begawan, 23rd) Brunei Supreme Court Chief Justice Dato Seri Paduka Steven Chong Hui-on traveled to the Philippines earlier this month, where he paid a courtesy visit to Philippine Supreme Court Chief Justice Alexander for a bilateral meeting and attended a regional international law seminar held in Manila.
This visit aims to strengthen professional exchanges and cooperation between the two countries’ judicial institutions, as well as to exchange views on regional rule of law development and international legal issues, further consolidating bilateral ties and collaboration in the judicial sphere.
The two chief justices held in-depth discussions on further deepening bilateral cooperation, focusing on feasible ways to expand collaboration in the fields of judicial education and professional training. The Bruneian delegation expressed strong interest in cooperating with the Philippine Judicial Academy (PHILJA) and highly praised the Academy’s professional expertise and rich experience as a leading judicial education institution in the region.
The two sides also exchanged opinions on several practical directions for cooperation, including strengthening the development of court-annexed mediation and alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, improving court administrative management efficiency, and providing systematic and professional training for court staff—including bailiffs, clerks, process servers, and other judicial administrative support personnel—in order to comprehensively enhance the overall operational level and service quality of the judicial system.
After the bilateral meeting, the delegation led by the Chief Justice attended the 2026 advanced course organized by The Hague Academy of International Law (THAIL), with the theme “The Role of International Law in Advancing ASEAN Judicial Development.”
This course, hosted by the Philippines, aims to provide systematic and professional training in public and private law fields to further strengthen the judicial capacity building of ASEAN member countries. The course content focuses on offering cutting-edge knowledge and practical tools for judges and court staff, helping them effectively respond to increasingly complex cross-border and international legal issues, while also promoting regional judicial cooperation and facilitating stability and sustainable development.
Dato Steven Chong led the Bruneian delegation in participating in the program, fully demonstrating the Brunei Supreme Court’s long-standing commitment and continued dedication to enhancing judicial education, deepening regional collaboration, and proactively using international law to advance ASEAN judicial affairs.
This visit aims to strengthen professional exchanges and cooperation between the two countries’ judicial institutions, as well as to exchange views on regional rule of law development and international legal issues, further consolidating bilateral ties and collaboration in the judicial sphere.
The two chief justices held in-depth discussions on further deepening bilateral cooperation, focusing on feasible ways to expand collaboration in the fields of judicial education and professional training. The Bruneian delegation expressed strong interest in cooperating with the Philippine Judicial Academy (PHILJA) and highly praised the Academy’s professional expertise and rich experience as a leading judicial education institution in the region.
The two sides also exchanged opinions on several practical directions for cooperation, including strengthening the development of court-annexed mediation and alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, improving court administrative management efficiency, and providing systematic and professional training for court staff—including bailiffs, clerks, process servers, and other judicial administrative support personnel—in order to comprehensively enhance the overall operational level and service quality of the judicial system.
After the bilateral meeting, the delegation led by the Chief Justice attended the 2026 advanced course organized by The Hague Academy of International Law (THAIL), with the theme “The Role of International Law in Advancing ASEAN Judicial Development.”
This course, hosted by the Philippines, aims to provide systematic and professional training in public and private law fields to further strengthen the judicial capacity building of ASEAN member countries. The course content focuses on offering cutting-edge knowledge and practical tools for judges and court staff, helping them effectively respond to increasingly complex cross-border and international legal issues, while also promoting regional judicial cooperation and facilitating stability and sustainable development.
Dato Steven Chong led the Bruneian delegation in participating in the program, fully demonstrating the Brunei Supreme Court’s long-standing commitment and continued dedication to enhancing judicial education, deepening regional collaboration, and proactively using international law to advance ASEAN judicial affairs.