DEPUTY Speaker Maria Rachel J. Arenas on Tuesday urged young Southeast Asian lawmakers to turn regional solidarity into concrete legislative action, saying the future of ASEAN depends on how its next generation responds to today’s challenges.
“Let this meeting produce more than statements. Let it produce partnerships. Let it produce legislative action. Let it produce the kind of leadership our peoples deserve,” Arenas said as she welcomed delegates to the Philippines-hosted 3rd Consultative Meeting of the Young Parliamentarians of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA), held via video conferencing.
Arenas, who heads the AIPA 2026 organizing team as chair of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, said young lawmakers are uniquely positioned to drive meaningful change across the region.
“You are among the youngest lawmakers in our region. You understand, perhaps more clearly than many, what is at stake when commitments remain unimplemented because you see their consequences in your districts, in your communities, and in the faces of your generation,” she said.
Arenas said youth leadership must be seen as a driving force in policymaking, not a limitation.
“Never allow anyone to tell you that youth is inexperience to be tolerated. Youth is foresight. Youth is moral urgency. Youth is political courage. Youth is the voice of the future speaking in the present.”
She emphasized that turning solidarity into action requires concrete legislative work across ASEAN.
“That means enacting enabling laws. Approving adequate budgets. Demanding accountability. Turning declarations into delivery,” she said.
Arenas also underscored the importance of regional unity in addressing shared challenges.
“Solidarity is not charity. Solidarity is strategy. Solidarity is how ASEAN endures,” she said.
The Deputy Speaker encouraged open and honest exchanges among young legislators to strengthen cooperation.
“Speak honestly about what is working and what is failing. Share not only your successes, but your lessons. Build bridges across parties and borders,” she said.
The Philippines is hosting the meeting under its AIPA 2026 presidency, bringing together young lawmakers across Southeast Asia to help steer a more inclusive and resilient regional agenda.
