Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez called for stronger regional cooperation, economic resilience, and responsible technology governance to address security and economic challenges in the Indo-Pacific region.
Speaking before incumbent and former international lawmakers, diplomats, security experts, and technology experts at the Parliamentary Intelligence-Security Forum (PI-SF) in Manila, Romualdez said geopolitical tensions, economic vulnerabilities, and technological disruptions in the region require a coordinated global response.
“We gather at a critical moment when the Indo-Pacific—home to 4.7 billion people, or 60 percent of the global population, and a driving force of global trade and innovation—is both a region of immense opportunity and unprecedented challenges,” he said.
“It is a region where economic dynamism coexists with intensifying strategic competition, geopolitical tensions and non-traditional security threats. These realities demand our collective action and resolve as parliamentarians and policymakers,” he added.
The PI-SF, a global platform that convenes legislators to discuss intelligence, security, and economic threats, has played a key role in strengthening multilateral cooperation against emerging global challenges.
With Manila hosting this year’s forum, discussions focused on the Indo-Pacific, a region that includes economic powerhouses, such as China, Japan, India, and South Korea, and one that continues to be a theater of unresolved disputes and strategic rivalry.
In his keynote remarks, Romualdez reaffirmed the Philippines’ commitment to international law in asserting its sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea.
He cited the 2016 Arbitral Tribunal ruling under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which rejected expansive maritime claims in the region. He emphasized that upholding the decision is essential for maintaining regional stability.
“For the Philippines, the situation in the West Philippine Sea remains a direct and urgent concern. This is not just a matter of territorial integrity—it is a test of the international community’s commitment to upholding international law and ensuring freedom of navigation,” he said in a press release from his office Feb. 3.
Romualdez warned against gray-zone tactics, coercive actions, and militarization of artificial islands, which threaten peace and stability.
He said the Philippine government has taken legislative steps to strengthen its maritime jurisdiction, including the passage of the Philippine Maritime Zones Act and the Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act.
He urged fellow lawmakers to use their legislative influence to reinforce alliances and uphold international agreements that promote stability in the region.
Beyond territorial issues, Romualdez warned that economic vulnerabilities remain a serious security concern, particularly in the Indo-Pacific, where supply chain disruptions, economic coercion, and widening inequalities could destabilize growth.
He called for stronger regional economic frameworks, particularly through the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, to ensure fair and sustainable trade policies.
He also emphasized the need to protect supply chains and critical industries, particularly in key sectors like semiconductors, critical minerals, and advanced manufacturing.
Romualdez urged policymakers to prioritize climate-resilient economies and sustainable infrastructure, stressing that economic resilience goes hand in hand with environmental protection. ||
