At the first plenary session of the ongoing 41st General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA-41) (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Philippine House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano has stressed that unity andneighbourly cooperation are the flagship and main objectives of AIPA and ASEAN.
He made the remarks while addressing the first plenary session ofthe ongoing 41st General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly(AIPA-41), which, he said, is among the most memorable of General Assembliessince the birth of AIPA in Manila on September 2, 1977.
AIPA 41 is historic not only for the reason of its virtualsetting, but because it is held amidst extraordinarily challengingcircumstances brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, he said.
He congratulated the National Assembly of Vietnam and its AIPANational Secretariat for surmounting the current difficulties caused by thepandemic to conduct the meeting.
Alan Peter said this is an opportunityfor AIPA parliaments to share experiences, learnings, difficulties, innovativemeasures and best practices, making them better equipped in battling against COVID-19.
Through the years, AIPA member parliaments have realised theculture of unity and cooperation by passing legislative measures consistentwith the thrusts and programmes of each AIPA member parliament’s government,according to the Speaker.
During this precarious time, the executive and legislativebranches of governments act in unison to stop the COVID-19 pandemic, caring forthose afflicted, assisting the hungry and the jobless, and jumpstartingeconomies which ground to a halt due to various community quarantine measures.
He said AIPA shall continue to support ASEAN in its recoveryframework to bring the region back to its feet after this COVID-19 setback.
In a post-pandemic landscape, he continued, AIPA should have amore active role in accelerating regional economic recovery through legislationand oversight, saying AIPA-41 is the perfect opportunity to recalibrate policydirections towards a more a responsive ASEAN and AIPA, to help ASEAN memberstates overcome the challenges from this and other crises or pandemics in thefuture.
Alan Peter lauded theadoption of the Hanoi Plan of Action on Strengthening ASEAN EconomicCooperation and Supply Chain Connectivity in Response to COVID-19 Pandemic,during the ASEAN Economic Ministers Meeting on June 40.
The Speaker expressed his hope that through the Action Plan, the countrieswill counter the impact of the pandemic by promoting ASEAN markets foressential goods and deepen economic cooperation among ASEAN member states.
He held that challenges caused by COVID-19 bring aboutopportunities to adapt and readjust for a more inclusive, resilient andsustainable recovery and growth for ASEAN.
Despite the current difficult circumstances, the future thatawaits the region remains bright and prosperous, full of potentials, hebelieved.
“However, we need to think more of We than I, more than nation buta Community and a Region.”
“We are family and we our brother’s and sister’s keepers. We maybe suffering together now because of COVID-19, but through love, unity,cooperation, perseverance, courage, and resourcefulness, we shall rise together,”he said./.
He made the remarks while addressing the first plenary session ofthe ongoing 41st General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly(AIPA-41), which, he said, is among the most memorable of General Assembliessince the birth of AIPA in Manila on September 2, 1977.
AIPA 41 is historic not only for the reason of its virtualsetting, but because it is held amidst extraordinarily challengingcircumstances brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, he said.
He congratulated the National Assembly of Vietnam and its AIPANational Secretariat for surmounting the current difficulties caused by thepandemic to conduct the meeting.
Alan Peter said this is an opportunityfor AIPA parliaments to share experiences, learnings, difficulties, innovativemeasures and best practices, making them better equipped in battling against COVID-19.
Through the years, AIPA member parliaments have realised theculture of unity and cooperation by passing legislative measures consistentwith the thrusts and programmes of each AIPA member parliament’s government,according to the Speaker.
During this precarious time, the executive and legislativebranches of governments act in unison to stop the COVID-19 pandemic, caring forthose afflicted, assisting the hungry and the jobless, and jumpstartingeconomies which ground to a halt due to various community quarantine measures.
He said AIPA shall continue to support ASEAN in its recoveryframework to bring the region back to its feet after this COVID-19 setback.
In a post-pandemic landscape, he continued, AIPA should have amore active role in accelerating regional economic recovery through legislationand oversight, saying AIPA-41 is the perfect opportunity to recalibrate policydirections towards a more a responsive ASEAN and AIPA, to help ASEAN memberstates overcome the challenges from this and other crises or pandemics in thefuture.
Alan Peter lauded theadoption of the Hanoi Plan of Action on Strengthening ASEAN EconomicCooperation and Supply Chain Connectivity in Response to COVID-19 Pandemic,during the ASEAN Economic Ministers Meeting on June 40.
The Speaker expressed his hope that through the Action Plan, the countrieswill counter the impact of the pandemic by promoting ASEAN markets foressential goods and deepen economic cooperation among ASEAN member states.
He held that challenges caused by COVID-19 bring aboutopportunities to adapt and readjust for a more inclusive, resilient andsustainable recovery and growth for ASEAN.
Despite the current difficult circumstances, the future thatawaits the region remains bright and prosperous, full of potentials, hebelieved.
“However, we need to think more of We than I, more than nation buta Community and a Region.”
“We are family and we our brother’s and sister’s keepers. We maybe suffering together now because of COVID-19, but through love, unity,cooperation, perseverance, courage, and resourcefulness, we shall rise together,”he said./.
VNA
