THE Philippines will convene young lawmakers across Southeast Asia on April 28 for a high-level dialogue on building a future-ready ASEAN, as it hosts the 3rd Consultative Meeting of the Young Parliamentarians of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (YPA).
Under the theme “ASEAN Youth: Strengthening Solidarity and Empowering Future-Ready Leaders,” the meeting will gather delegates from ASEAN member parliaments in a fully virtual format.
Speaker Faustino “Bojie” G. Dy III, AIPA President, will deliver the keynote address and lead the appointment of 4Ps Party-list Rep. JC M. Abalos II as YPA chairperson, reinforcing the Philippines’ push to elevate youth voices in policymaking.
The virtual format follows Speaker Dy’s move to shift preparatory AIPA meetings online, with in-person events limited to the Interface Meeting and General Assembly to be held in November.
The one-day meeting will open with remarks from Deputy Speaker Maria Rachel J. Arenas and AIPA Secretary General Dr. Chem Widhya, followed by plenary sessions on delegation introductions and exchanges of best practices on youth empowerment.
Discussions will focus on two key fronts shaping ASEAN’s future: artificial intelligence (AI) and mental health governance.
A dialogue on AI and digital literacy will bring together experts from the ASEAN Foundation, the Department of Information and Communications Technology, and the University of the Philippines College of Law to examine how governments can prepare youth for a digital economy.
A second dialogue will address mental health governance, with inputs from the World Health Organization Philippines, the Department of Health, and youth leaders.
Lawmakers will explore ways to strengthen mental health frameworks, expand access to services, and integrate youth well-being into national agendas.
YPA Chairperson Abalos will lead the discussions and deliver the closing message, consolidating recommendations for future AIPA action.
The meeting will also feature a video message from a Model AIPA delegate, linking parliamentary work with youth-led initiatives.
Beyond policy exchanges, the meeting aims to deepen parliamentary cooperation amid economic uncertainty, technological disruption, and social challenges.
By convening young legislators, the Philippines is positioning ASEAN’s next generation as drivers of innovation, inclusion and resilience.
The outcomes are expected to feed into upcoming AIPA engagements, including the General Assembly and interface dialogues, as ASEAN aligns its agenda with emerging regional priorities.
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