Manila, Sept. 2 -- As the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) marks its 49th anniversary, House Speaker and AIPA President Faustino "Bojie" Dy III on Wednesday called on the region's parliaments to ensure that nearly five decades of cooperation translate into credible laws, stronger institutions, and concrete improvements in the lives of Southeast Asia's people.

"Our work must ultimately be measured not by the meetings we hold, but by the difference we make in the lives of our people," Dy said in a video message commemorating AIPA's anniversary.

"I have always believed that public trust is earned not through declarations, but through credible laws, trusted institutions, and results that im...