Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III on Monday urged women parliamentarians across Southeast Asia to push for deeper, system-level change and move from representation to real power in governance.

Speaking at the 5th Meeting of the Coordinating Committee of Women Parliamentarians of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA), Dy anchored his message on building gender-transformative and future-ready parliaments.

“Progress is not enough. As we pursue a future-ready and inclusive ASEAN, we must move beyond gender-responsiveness toward true transformation, reshaping systems, dismantling barriers, and ensuring women have real decision-making power,” the Speaker said.

“Transformation must go beyond representation. It must create real opportunity for women to lead, to build enterprises, and for marginalized voices to be heard. Inclusion is measured not by presence, but by impact.”

The meeting, hosted by the Philippines via video conference, gathered women lawmakers from across the region to advance cooperation on political participation, economic leadership, and inclusive governance.

It is being held online as part of the Philippines’ calibrated hosting approach to streamline engagements and manage rising global costs, including higher travel expenses driven by tensions in the Middle East.

Dy also linked women’s leadership to stronger institutions and lasting peace in Southeast Asia.

“Peace is not just the absence of conflict, it is trust in institutions and in the future. When women lead, peace becomes more durable,” he said.

The Speaker cited the Philippines’ National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security as part of efforts to promote inclusive and responsive governance.

“At the core of all this is people-centered governance, laws grounded in real needs, budgets that reflect everyday realities, and institutions that are open and accountable,” he said.

“At the same time, we must prepare for a future shaped by technology and climate risks. A future-ready ASEAN must be adaptive, inclusive, and responsible, ensuring no one is left behind.”

Dy urged ASEAN lawmakers to turn commitments into concrete outcomes under the Women’s Political Participation and Leadership (WPPL) Plan of Action.

“We recognize the challenges before us. That is why WAIPA must continue to move from platform to action. The WPPL Plan of Action gives us direction. Now, we must deliver,” he said, stressing that the discussions will be pathways to real outcomes.

While the meeting was originally set in Bohol, it was held virtually following adjustments in ASEAN engagements amid global developments.

But while the format has shifted, Dy said the purpose has not.

“If anything, this moment highlights a defining strength of women leaders: resilience, adaptability, and steady leadership in uncertain times,” he said, as he reaffirmed the Philippines’ commitment to regional cooperation.

“The Philippines stands ready to work with you, to listen, and to serve,” he added.

Meanwhile, Deputy Speaker Maria Rachel Arenas underscored the urgency of sustained leadership and cooperation among women lawmakers across Southeast Asia, declaring that crises must not derail the region’s push for inclusive governance.

“Though we gather today through extraordinary circumstances, our presence here sends an extraordinary message: that even in uncertain times, leadership does not pause; cooperation does not weaken; and the work of building a better future must continue,” the Pangasinan lawmaker said.

Arenas, who heads the AIPA 2026 organizing team as chair of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, said the ongoing global energy crisis is a test of ASEAN’s collective resolve.

“The current energy crisis has reminded us of a truth our region knows well, that stability can never be taken for granted, and resilience must always be built in advance,” she said. “Yet even as challenges test our systems, they also reveal our character. Today, by choosing dialogue over delay and action over hesitation, we prove that ASEAN’s spirit remains strong.”

Arenas said the WAIPA platform plays a critical role in shaping a more inclusive and just ASEAN.

“WAIPA is more than a committee. It is a movement of voices that refuse exclusion, a platform of leaders who transform barriers into bridges, and a force that reminds us that democracy is strongest when women stand fully within it,” she said.

Arenas also cautioned that gains in women’s representation and rights must be protected and translated into concrete outcomes.

“Our words must become policy. Our solidarity must become systems. Our commitments must become change that ordinary women can feel in their daily lives,” she said.

Looking ahead, Arenas called for stronger cooperation to ensure a more inclusive and compassionate ASEAN.

“Let us imagine not only a prosperous region, but a humane one; not only a competitive region, but a compassionate one; not only a connected region, but a community where no woman and no girl is left behind,” she said.

“The future of ASEAN will not be shaped by geography alone, nor by markets alone, nor by institutions alone. It will be shaped by the courage of its people, and by the leadership of its women.” (PNA)