THE House of Representatives will officially launch the Philippine Presidency of the 47th ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) on Monday, January 19, 2026.
“The House of Representatives proudly welcomes AIPA at this historic turning point for Southeast Asia,” said Committee on ASEAN Affairs Senior Vice Chairperson and Pangasinan Rep. Maria Rachel Arenas, highlighting the admission of Timor Leste as the 11th member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2025 and the 50th Anniversary of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC). The TAC is a legally-binding code that embodies universal principles of peaceful coexistence and friendly cooperation among States in Southeast Asia.
House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III, who leads the Philippine House of Representatives, the host parliament, will serve as the ex-officio President of AIPA 2026. He is set to deliver the keynote address at the launch of AIPA 2026 activities, which will culminate in the AIPA General Assembly in Metro Manila this October.
The Women Parliamentarians of AIPA (WAIPA), the Young Parliamentarians of AIPA (YPA) and the AIPA Committee on Dangerous Drugs (AIPACODD) will hold separate events to deliberate on shared concerns and draft resolutions for consideration and adoption of the AIPA General Assembly. Deliberations will focus on fostering a peaceful, prosperous and people-centered ASEAN.
On September 20, 2025, Malaysia’s House of Representatives Speaker Tan Sri Johari Bin Abdul officially turned over the AIPA Presidency to the Philippines. Deputy Speaker and TUCP Rep. Raymond Democrito Mendoza accepted the honor on behalf of the House of Representatives of the Congress of the Philippines. In keeping with the tradition, The AIPA Presidency rotates annually among AIPA member parliaments in alphabetical sequence.
This marks the seventh time the Philippines has hosted AIPA since its establishment as the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Organization (AIPO) in 1977. The body was renamed AIPA in 2006 to underscore its stronger commitment to parliamentary diplomacy and to its role in the ASEAN’s integration process.
The Philippines hosted the first meeting of the AIPO in 1977, 1989, 1994, 1999, and again in 2006 and 2017, when AIPO was transformed into AIPA.
AIPA was established to foster closer relations among ASEAN parliaments, promote the exchange of information and best practices in legislation, and contribute to the realization of the goals of the ASEAN
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