MANILA, Jan. 31 -- The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) under the Philippine chairmanship in 2026 will try to play a larger role on issues besetting the region, including on the Myanmar crisis and the South China Sea, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo said Friday.

At the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon briefing, Manalo said the country will seek to enhance the bloc's influence on both global and regional issues while pushing for economic integration.

"So, we will focus on the economic integration. And then, lalakasan din iyong influence ng ASEAN sa mga ibang issues, mga global issues, especially iyong tinatawag namin na (And then we will strengthen ASEAN's influence on other issues, global issues, especially through what we...