speaker Faustino “Bosie” G. Di III called on the parliaments of ASEAN member states to pursue responsible governance of artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies and prevent their misuse by terrorists and violent extremists.
Dai made this call in his keynote address at the opening of a parliamentary training course on legislative and policy measures to address the use of AI and new technologies against terrorism and violent extremism.
“This theme reflects our belief that Congress is more than just a legislative branch; it is the guardian of peace, the engine of prosperity, and the defender of the people,” Dee said.
Isabella speakers noted that AI has become an integral part of everyday life, enabling governments to deliver services more efficiently, economies to grow, and communities to be more closely connected.
“In our case, as part of our efforts to better serve our constituents, we have begun to take steps to leverage technology to make the legislative process more efficient and transparent,” he said.
At the same time, Dai said global experience shows that new technologies can be misused, citing examples of extremist groups misusing social media, deepfake content, encryption platforms, and AI-powered tools.
“These are not remote possibilities. These are real cases that have already been recorded around the world,” he pointed out.
Di said the Philippines has experienced first-hand the misuse of digital platforms to spread disinformation, sow fear and undermine trust in public institutions, especially during elections and emergencies.
“We know these are threats that we can no longer ignore,” he said, citing law enforcement action, legislative oversight and strengthened digital governance as part of the country’s response.
Mr. Dee revealed that the anti-fake news and disinformation bill is included in his priority legislative agenda, and vowed to pass it in the current 20th Congress.
He stressed that security measures must go hand in hand with safeguards that protect rights and build public trust.
“Public trust is built not only by preventing harm, but also by ensuring that laws are fair, transparent and accountable,” Dye said.
He also called for sustained cooperation between ASEAN parliaments, noting that terrorism and violent extremism do not respect borders.
“To stand firm against them, sustained cooperation between ASEAN member parliaments is essential to ensure that laws, oversight and common standards of ASEAN member states move forward together.”
Dy said the training course will help lawmakers consider responsible AI governance, legal frameworks and monitoring tools, while strengthening cooperation within and outside ASEAN.
“Terrorism and violent extremism do not stop at borders. Our resolve should not stop at borders either.”
This training course is being conducted under the theme of “Parliament to Ensure a Peaceful, Prosperous and People-Centered ASEAN” under the Philippine House of Representatives’ chairmanship of the ASEAN Mutual Assembly.
