Amid record-high oil prices, the House of Representatives is scaling down the Philippines’ hosting of Association of Southeast Asian Nations Inter-Parliamentary Assembly meetings this year as an austerity measure. In-person activities will be limited to the General Assembly in October and the Interface Meeting in November. Other meetings will shift to virtual platforms.
The House of Representatives announced it is scaling down the Philippines’ hosting of Association of Southeast Asian Nations Inter-Parliamentary Assembly meetings this year due to record-high oil prices.
Speaker Faustino Dy III stated they are following the President’s guidance by adopting austerity measures for the AIPA hosting without compromising its objectives. In-person activities will be limited to the General Assembly in October and the Interface Meeting in November, the Speaker said.
Deputy Speaker and foreign affairs committee chair Maria Rachel Arenas, who leads the House’s AIPA organizing efforts, said preparations are being recalibrated to ensure a smooth transition to a hybrid format centered on the two key in-person events.
This move forms part of efforts to address the impact of soaring oil prices on government spending.