KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia -- Philippine House Speaker Jose C. de Venecia Jr. has urged the inclusion in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) charter of an eventual ASEAN Parliament -- to be created as "part of the vision of an ASEAN community" -- for final consideration by the ASEAN Summit

Heading the Philippine delegation to the 28th General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) -- formerly the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Organization (AIPO) -- De Venecia said Europe and Latin America have long created their regional parliaments and Africa made a similar move toward political integration a few years ago.

De Venecia said it was time Asia, the cradle of the great civilizations, religions, and cultures, took a decisive step toward creating its own regional legislature led by ASEAN.

He said the 10-member ASEAN is "at the forefront of political and economic integration in Asia" as he pushed for the eventual creation of an ASEAN Parliament.

De Venecia's opening remarks, delivered extemporaneously, was one of the highlights of the assembly, which has intensified efforts since its breakthrough Cebu assembly in September last year to emerge as a relevant force in regional cooperation and economic and political integration. In the Cebu assembly, the member-nations approved the change of name to AIPA, a step that could follow the similar development of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe a half-century ago.