Pasay City, Philippines - Speaker Martin Romualdez urged member countries of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF) to support the Philippines' candidacy for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations (UN) Security Council for the 2027-2028 term. The call was made during the 31st Annual Meeting of the APPF at the Philippine International Convention Center.
According to Philippines News Agency, Romualdez highlighted the Philippines' readiness to contribute actively to global peace and stability and expressed optimism about the forum's effectiveness in bolstering support for the country's UNSC bid. Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, citing the Department of Foreign Affairs, noted that 15 out of the 27 APPF member-countries have already pledged support for the Philippines' candidacy. This year's APPF meeting, attended by 275 parliamentarians from 18 countries, is expected to focus on maintaining peace and stability in the region. Zubiri outlined the various resolutions submitted by the participating parliaments, covering topics from peace and stability to universal health care. The Philippines, a founding member of APPF, hopes the meeting will strengthen multilateral cooperation and partnerships in the Asia-Pacific region. Senator Sherwin Gatchalian emphasized the importance of cooperation among Asia-Pacific economies in developing critical infrastructures to mitigate global risks like cyberattacks and natural disasters. The forum is set to conclude with a joint communiqué that will serve as a guiding document for future collaborations in the region.