Marcos Calls for Stronger Government-Parliament Collaboration in ASEAN

“The commitments we make around the ASEAN table must eventually find expression in our national institutions, in the laws that give them force, the budgets that provide resources, the oversight that sustains accountability, and the public confidence that gives them legitimacy,” President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said on Sunday.

Marcos called for stronger collaboration between Southeast Asian governments and parliaments to address emerging regional and global challenges, the Philippine News Agency reported.

Speaking at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Inter-Parliamentary Assembly at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City, Marcos said the legislative institution must translate regional commitments into concrete national action.

According to him, the persistent work of the region’s legislative bodies shows that the advancement of ASEAN cannot rely solely on governments acting independently. Acting as an essential bridge between ASEAN and its citizens, parliaments voice the needs of workers, households, enterprises, youth, and local populations that must find a place in regional dialogues.

Marcos: ‘Parliaments bring ASEAN closer to our people’ — Manila Bulletin

“This is where our parliaments are indispensable. Parliaments also bring ASEAN closer to our people,” Marcos added.

Under the Philippines’ chairship theme, “Navigating Our Future, Together,” Marcos said ASEAN has spent the year examining the direction it must take in an “increasingly uncertain world” marked by geopolitical shifts, changing trade patterns, technological transformation and growing societal pressures.

As ASEAN starts rolling out its collective agenda via ASEAN 2045—a roadmap meant to shape regional growth across the coming twenty years—this duty gains even greater importance.

“The next 20 years will require ASEAN to respond to changes that are already reshaping our societies and others we cannot yet fully anticipate,” Marcos said.

He pointed out that issues such as energy and food security remain vulnerable to external shocks originating outside the area. Furthermore, he highlighted the swift evolution of artificial intelligence and how it is reshaping commerce, education, daily existence, and professional environments.

Marcos highlighted the threats posed by climate change and natural disasters endangering societies and economies, alongside transnational crime syndicates and online scam operations that take advantage of regulatory loopholes between different legal territories. He also said the region must protect migrant workers across borders and address the evolving demands on social systems as populations age.

Emphasizing that no single body can tackle these hurdles on its own, Marcos urged both parliaments and governments to cooperate closely by means of robust laws, sensible policies, adequate funding, diligent oversight, and ongoing public involvement.

“That convergence gives us an opportunity to connect regional decisions more closely with national action, while ensuring that parliamentary perspectives and the voices of our communities inform ASEAN’s work from the outset,” Marcos said.

“As we continue navigating our future together, our governments and parliaments should remain closely engaged, pursuing our respective mandates while working toward the same regional future,” he added.