Asean AIPA preparatory meetings to be conducted online – Speaker Dy

MANILA, Philippines — Speaker Faustino Dy III on Sunday announced that the country will be scaling down Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) meetings by shifting all preparatory meetings to virtual platforms.

Dy, in a statement, said in-person activities for the AIPA meetings will only be limited to the General Assembly in October and the Interface Meeting in November.

The move, said Dy, is in line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to streamline official engagements for the upcoming Asean summit, all while responding to the economic pressures brought by recent global developments, particularly the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

READ: PH-hosted Asean presummit meetings go online to save costs

“Following the guidance of the President, we are adopting necessary austerity measures in our AIPA hosting—without compromising its objectives,” Dy said.

“We will focus our resources on the meetings that matter most, while ensuring that the work of parliamentary diplomacy continues uninterrupted,” he added.

Deputy Speaker Maria Rachel Arenas, who heads the House’s AIPA organizing efforts, said preparations are now being recalibrated to ensure a smooth transition to a hybrid format centered on the two key in-person events.

Dy stressed that Philippine lawmakers remain committed to advancing a “people-centered, forward-looking Asean,” noting that the shift to digital platforms is both practical and principled.

“In every decision we make, it is always important to prioritize the welfare of the people. By maximizing digital platforms, we reduce costs, ease the burden on public resources, and continue to fulfill our responsibilities to our ASEAN partners,” Dy said in Filipino.

The Philippines holds the hosting duties for the 48th Asean Summit this year.

The responsibility comes as the country is battered by rising global oil prices—caused by the conflict in the Middle East—that already had direct consequences on travel and operational costs in the country. /gsg