Dy calls for results-driven, people-centered ASEAN

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January 20, 2026 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — Speaker Faustino Dy III yesterday called for what he intends as “results-driven, people-centered” regional legislation, as the House of Representatives launched Manila’s presidency of the 47th ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA).

“Our guiding theme is clear: parliaments securing a peaceful, prosperous and people-centered ASEAN. It reflects a fundamental truth: communities endure not on aspiration alone, but on laws that are credible, systems that are trusted and leaders who deliver results,” he said.

The AIPA aims to strengthen the region’s neighboring countries’ “peace and prosperity by delivering credible laws, transparent processes and results that improve people’s daily lives.”

“From my experience leading the House, one lesson stands out: public trust is built through results,” Dy said. “People judge governance by how decisions are made, whether processes are transparent and whether outcomes genuinely improve daily life.”

In his keynote address, the Speaker said the Philippines assumes the AIPA presidency for 2026 “with humility and with a clear understanding of what this responsibility demands,” stressing that regional cooperation must be anchored on public trust and institutional credibility.

Dy said the Philippines’ AIPA agenda is aligned with President Marcos’ commitment, as ASEAN chairman, to deepen dialogue and enhance cooperation on regional security and economic integration in a people-centered manner.

The launch comes as ASEAN marks the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation and prepares for the admission of Timor-Leste as its 11th member-state, milestones that affirm peace in the region was “built deliberately through dialogue, mutual respect and the rule of law.”

As ASEAN looks toward Community Vision 2045, Dy said the region faces “increasingly complex challenges, including economic uncertainty, security risks and rapid technological change occurring simultaneously.”

When laws are openly debated, carefully scrutinized and aligned with real needs, institutions earn the confidence of the people they serve, he said.

Dy said these principles extend beyond national borders, stressing that trust across ASEAN grows when laws are clear and resources are directed where they matter most.

“This is how parliaments secure peace, support prosperity and keep people at the center of policy – principles that will guide our AIPA presidency,” he said.

Dy emphasized that peace is more than the absence of conflict, describing it as confidence that differences can be resolved through dialogue and that rules will be respected even under pressure.