As the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) convened for its 46th General Assembly in Kuala Lumpur last Sept. 16 to 22, 2025, we look back with deep gratitude on the long and evolving journey of inter-parliamentary cooperation in our region — a journey that we have been privileged, in some small way, to help nurture.

We are profoundly honored that AIPA has chosen to confer upon us the Distinguished Service Award. This recognition humbles us deeply, for it is not ours alone. We share it with our colleagues, partners, and friends across Asia and beyond who have stood with us in advancing dialogue, peace, and cooperation. Whatever we may have achieved was never the work of one, but of many, working together to build understanding and solidarity across nations.

It is worth recalling that the roots of AIPA itself are in Manila. On Sept. 2, 1977, at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC), the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Organization (AIPO) was born, with representatives from Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand signing its founding declaration. That moment — hosted by the Philippine Congress — marked the beginning of structured parliamentary cooperation in Southeast Asia.

Nearly three decades later, in 2006 in Cebu City, during the 27th General Assembly of AIPO, we worked hand-in-hand with our colleagues to spearhead its transformation into what is now AIPA, aligning the body more closely with ASEAN’s institutional goals. With the support of our fellow speakers and delegates, this historic transition strengthened AIPA’s role as a vital platform for legislative cooperation and regional solidarity.

This year’s General Assembly theme, “Parliament at the Forefront for Inclusive Growth and Sustainable ASEAN,” is both timely and urgent. It reminds us of the critical responsibility of legislatures in crafting policies that uplift the marginalized, protect our environment, and ensure that development is both equitable and enduring.

We are also heartened that the International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP), which we founded in Manila in September 2000, has been invited as observer to this AIPA General Assembly. Just last year, ICAPP and AIPA formalized their partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding — a milestone in bridging political parties and parliaments for a common cause.

Today, ICAPP unites more than 350 ruling and opposition parties from 52 Asian countries, offering a rare and precious space where differences in ideology give way to dialogue and consensus-building. Its mission — to promote democracy, peace, and development — complements AIPA’s equally vital work in legislative cooperation and regional solidarity. Together, AIPA and ICAPP can make meaningful contributions in addressing urgent issues such as conflict resolution, climate change, environmental degradation, cybersecurity, human rights, and inclusive development — challenges that cut across borders and demand regional, even global, cooperation.

In a time of rising geopolitical tensions and violent conflicts in various parts of the world, international organizations like AIPA and ICAPP serve as indispensable instruments of dialogue. They provide platforms where disagreements can be tempered by reason, where bridges can be built across divides, and where nations and political forces can come together in the search for peaceful solutions. When the global order seems fractured, these institutions remind us that dialogue and cooperation remain our best hope for stability and shared prosperity.

We are equally proud that the Philippine House of Representatives will host the 47th AIPA General Assembly next year. For us, it will be a true homecoming, for it was in Manila in 1977 that AIPO was born, and again in Cebu in 2006 that it was reborn as AIPA.

In these turbulent and uncertain times, we are reminded that institutions are important, but what truly matters are the people who animate them with vision, goodwill, and a shared commitment to peace. It is only through dialogue, mutual respect, and solidarity that we can hope to build a more peaceful and prosperous Asia.

Let us continue to build these bridges. The road ahead is long, but with faith in each other and in the promise of dialogue, we shall endure — and we shall prevail.