Kuala Lumpur: House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez has called on lawmakers from Southeast Asia to defend the rules-based international order and lead the transformation of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) through bold and visionary legislation. Speaking at the 14th ASEAN Leaders Interface with Representatives of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) in Malaysia, Romualdez highlighted the crucial role legislative institutions play in securing peace, prosperity, and regional sovereignty.
According to Philippines News Agency, Romualdez emphasized the need for ASEAN to move collectively, translating shared aspirations into policies that empower workers, farmers, and fisherfolks, protect maritime territories, and connect digital economies. He pointed out the importance of upholding the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to guarantee peace, security, and sovereignty across the region.
Romualdez noted that regional peace and prosperity depend on adherence to international law, particularly in the face of global polarization and threats to maritime integrity. Under President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s leadership, he said, the Philippines is advancing a national agenda of unity, innovation, and inclusivity that aligns with ASEAN's goals.
He expressed his commitment to ensuring that legislation under his leadership is not only responsive but also visionary and catalytic. Romualdez reaffirmed the Philippine Congress' dedication to supporting regional priorities through laws that bolster food security, renewable energy, digital infrastructure, and cyber defense.
Romualdez urged ASEAN lawmakers to see themselves as bridge-builders across cultures and generations, stressing their duty to maintain the region as a bastion of peace, prosperity, and progress. He highlighted the meeting as a milestone in ASEAN-AIPA cooperation, with the Philippines set to assume the AIPA Presidency in 2026. This coincides with the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation, offering a symbolic moment for enhanced legislative collaboration in Southeast Asia.
Concluding his message, Romualdez called on regional leaders to shape the future proactively rather than adapt passively, advocating for leadership that builds rather than merely preserves. "Our region cannot afford to be passive in a world that is increasingly polarized. Together, let us build a region that is not only prepared for the future, but determined to shape it," he stated.
