Bacolod Rep. Evelio Leonardia is part of the five member Philippine panel discussing current Southeast Asian issues at the week-long 36th ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) in Malaysia that started Sunday.

Leonardia flew to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Sunday with the Philippine delegation composed of Rep. Al Francis Bichara (Albay, 2 nd District), Rep. Raul Del Mar (Cebu, 1 st District) Rep. Jose Christopher Belmonte (Quezon City, 6 th District), and Rep. Raymond Democrito Mendoza (TUCP Partylist), a press release from his office said yesterday.

Bichara is chair and Leonardia is a member of the Congressional Committee on Foreign Affairs and Inter-Parliamentary Relations.

The Philippines is a founding member of the AIPA which was organized to help thresh out political issues in the Southeast Asia (SEA).

Among the issues to be discussed are the peaceful resolution of the South China Sea conflict, the constructive engagement with Myanmar, the strengthening of structures of human rights and the strengthening of the ASEAN Regional Forum.

For the Kuala Lumpur assembly, AIPA will also take up issues on the region's relations will Australia which is sending an observer panel, Leonardia said.

The 36th AIPA will focus on the theme, “Engaging a People-Oriented, People-Centered ASEAN Community Towards Inclusiveness.”

The AIPA is composed of the parliaments of the 10 ASEAN countries - Brunei, Cambodia, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.*

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