Atty. Marlouize E. Villanueva, a faculty member of the USC School of Law and Governance College of Law has been named a recipient of the Melbourne Research Scholarship. The grant will support his upcoming Ph.D studies at the Melbourne Law School of the University of Melbourne, ranked among the premier institutions for legal education globally.
Set to begin his doctoral residency in Australia by 2027, he enters an elite cohort—Melbourne Law School admits roughly 15 candidates annually across three rigorous admission rounds, selecting scholars based on academic excellence and research capability.
Engaging the theoretical debates on emergency powers and the state of exception, particularly the works of Carl Schmitt and Giorgio Agamben, Atty. Villanueva’s doctoral dissertation project will examine the role of the Philippine judiciary in shaping the constitutional architecture of emergency powers from 1946 to the present.
Rather than viewing emergencies as isolated disruptions to the constitutional order, his research will examine how judicial opinions have actively shaped, legitimized, or restrained the exercise of emergency powers–offering critical insights into the evolving relationship between judicial review and governance in a postcolonial democracy.
“My aspiration is not only to contribute to Philippine constitutional scholarship but also to participate in broader discussions on legality, constitutional governance, and the role of courts during periods of emergency,” Atty. Villanueva said. “I believe Melbourne Law School is uniquely positioned to help me achieve that goal.”
A Carolinian through and through, Atty. Villanueva’s roots at USC span from basic education at the former USC North Campus (now San Carlos School of Cebu) to his higher degrees—earning a B.A in Political Science, majoring in International Relations and Foreign Service (magna cum laude) and his Juris Doctor from the USC College of Law. He completed his Master of Laws at the University of the Philippines College of Law in 2023. A year later, he was selected as one of the inaugural visiting fellows of the Australian National University (ANU) Philippines Institute in Canberra.
He joined the USC College of Law faculty in 2022, teaching philosophy of law, legal research and writing, thesis proposal writing, administrative law, and laws on local government. Alongside his teaching duties, he is the Editor-in-Chief of Virtus: The USC Law Journal.
For Atty. Villanueva, the scholarship represents more than an individual milestone—it is a conduit for institutional growth back home in Cebu.
“I also hope to contribute to building a stronger research culture within the USC College of Law,” Atty. Villanueva emphasized. “Through the international networks and collaborations I hope to develop during my doctoral studies, I would like to create opportunities for joint research projects, visiting scholars, faculty exchanges, and research seminars that link USC directly with world’s leading legal institutions.”