MANILA, May 3 -- President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. spoke to Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim over the phone on Friday night to discuss the economic and security issues confronting the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

"Nagkausap kami ni Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim ng Malaysia tungkol sa mga hamon sa ekonomiya at seguridad na kinakaharap ng ASEAN bilang isang rehiyon (Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim of Malaysia and I spoke about the economic and security challenges facing the ASEAN as a region)," Marcos said in a Facebook post.

The phone call was made ahead of Malaysia's hosting of the ASEAN Summit and Related Summits.

Malaysia is this year's ASEAN chair, while the Philippines will take over the rotating chairmanship i...