House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III has hailed the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), saying it continues to affirm the value of dialogue, mutual respect, and peaceful cooperation in a changing global landscape.

Dy, Isabela's 6th district congressman, did so even as ASEAN and its High Contracting Parties marked the 50th anniversary of the TAC--the landmark 1976 accord that laid the foundation for peaceful relations, mutual respect and stability in the region.

The Philippines concurrently serves as chair of the ASEAN and president of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) for 2026.

“Today, we honor not just a milestone, but a decision—made 50 years ago—when ASEAN’s Founding Fathers chose dialogue over conflict, cooperation over division, and mutual respect over mistrust,” Dy said in his capacity as 2026 AIPA President.

“In a region as diverse as Southeast Asia, that choice was neither easy nor inevitable. Yet it proved enduring and transformative,” he added.

From five original ASEAN members, the treaty has expanded to 58 High Contracting Parties. This underscored the bloc's continuing relevance beyond the region, said Dy.

“The [TAC] gave our region a shared commitment to peace, stability, and trust. What began among five ASEAN Member States has now been embraced by 58 High Contracting Parties and counting—a powerful testament to the Treaty’s relevance beyond geography and time, especially in an increasingly uncertain world,” he said.

Dy emphasized that for five decades, the treaty "has guided relations through principles that remain vital today: respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, non-interference, peaceful settlement of disputes, the renunciation of the threat or use of force, and effective cooperation among States".

“This shared framework has underpinned regional stability and helped ASEAN grow into one of the world’s largest economies, now on track to become the fourth-largest globally,” he continued.

He stressed that peace, when sustained, delivers results by lifting millions out of poverty, expanding access to education and health care, and strengthening human security across the region.

The anniversary coincides with the Philippine ASEAN Chairship and AIPA Presidency, as well as the first year of implementation of “ASEAN 2045: Our Shared Future".

“Under the theme ‘Parliaments Securing a Peaceful, Prosperous, and People-centered ASEAN,’ we reaffirm the essential role of parliaments in translating the Treaty’s principles into law, ensuring accountability, and delivering real benefits for our people,” Dy said.

Dy reaffirmed AIPA’s full commitment to the TAC, alongside the ASEAN Charter and the United Nations (UN) Charter.