San Beda College
School of Law
Alabang
HUMAN RIGHTS
A.Y. 2019-2020
Prof. Jose Angelo A. David1
jadavid@[Link]
Addendum to the Syllabus
Please read this document in addition to, and not in derogation of, the syllabus earlier
circulated.
I. Google Classroom
To facilitate your fulfillment of the requirements for the rest of the semester, we will
have a virtual classroom on the Google Classroom platform. This is freely available online
without need of installing any software. Using your personal Gmail account, you may access our
Google Classroom by using this code: jgimifv.
II. Final Examination
The exam will proceed as scheduled on June 25, 2020 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:45 p.m.2
Please note that the exam should be taken within the first 1 hour and forty-five minutes of this
period and the remaining 30 minutes should be used to upload the exam. Any exam submitted
beyond 8:45 p.m. shall be deemed as not submitted.
The exam will be administered through Quia. All students must register for a Quia
account through this website [Link] Please visit our
Google Classroom for further details and indicate in the appropriate thread your Quia e-mail
address and username no later than June 18, 2020 at 6:00 p.m.
The Exam Instructions are attached as Annex “A”. Read these instructions. Visit our
Google Classroom and state in the appropriate thread any questions you may have about the
Exam Instructions no later than June 18, 2020 at 6:00 p.m. I will respond to all questions
through Google Classroom.
Students must read the technical system requirements for Quia on this website:
[Link] Neither I nor the school is
responsible for ensuring that the device you will use for the exam complies with these system
requirements. If, however, you require test accommodations because: (1) your device does not
1
As substitute for Prof. Rene Saguisag.
2
All times indicated are in PH time.
meet the system requirements, (2) you have no electronic device, or (3) you have a physical,
learning, or other disability, please inform me through the appropriate thread in our Google
Classroom no later than June 18, 2020 at 6:00 p.m. Accommodations can be made for as long as
they are reasonable and not unduly burdensome, consistent with the nature and purpose of the
examination.
III. Written Work Requirements
Essays 1 and 2 (“written work requirements”) are due by July 4, 2020, 5:00 p.m.
Written work requirements shall be individually submitted through the appropriate thread in our
Google Classroom.
A. Essay 1
Question: There exists a tension between international human rights law, on the
one hand, and the sovereign right of every State to self-govern, on the other.
Write an essay on how our Philippine Supreme Court has managed or resolved
this tension, if at all, based on the cases decided by it.
Number of words: Your essay must have not fewer than 1,000 words, and no
more than 1,500 words.
Format: Write your essay in a Word file with the following file name: “Essay
[Link] Name”. Use Times New Roman, 12-point font, 1.5-spacing in
between lines and paragraphs, and with one-inch margin on all sides.
Additional Instructions: While writing this essay, you may consult any materials
you wish, but you will be evaluated on your understanding and application of the
course materials, lecture, and other resources you may have researched. Your
answer must be entirely your own work and any reference to laws, cases, or
academic articles must be properly attributed. You may not discuss any aspect of
your essay with anyone, either while writing it or until after the deadline has
passed.
Grading: The criteria for grading are indicated in our Google Classroom.
B. Essay 2
Question: There are different theories justifying the existence of human rights:
positivist, theological, naturalist, and moralist. Choose two of these theories and
write an essay discussing cases where the Philippine Supreme Court applied or
used your chosen theories to explain why certain rights are protected under our
Constitution, our municipal laws,3 or sources of international law binding on the
Philippines.
3
The term “municipal laws” from the perspective of international law refers to laws that are not international in
nature, i.e., statutes enacted by the Philippine Congress, executive issuances, and judicial rules or decisions.
2
Number of words: Your essay must have not fewer than 1,500 words, and no
more than 2,000 words.
Format: Write your essay in a Word file with the following file name: “Essay
[Link] Name”. Use Times New Roman, 12-point font, 1.5-spacing in
between lines and paragraphs, and with one-inch margin on all sides.
Additional Instructions: While writing this essay, you may consult any materials
you wish, but you will be evaluated on your understanding and application of the
course materials, lecture, and other resources you may have researched. Your
answer must be entirely your own work and any reference to laws, cases, or
academic articles must be properly attributed. You may not discuss any aspect of
your essay with anyone, either while writing it or until after the deadline has
passed.
Grading: The criteria for grading are indicated in our Google Classroom.
