THE Philippines should leverage on its chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) this year to put on the spotlight Southeast Asia’s most pressing political and security challenges, including territorial disputes involving multiple parties, think tank Stratbase-Albert del Rosario Institute (ADRi) said on Thursday.

“No stranger to the difficulties in the South China Sea, the Philippines is seeing new evolutions to its trials: first, in the form of Chinese vessels loitering in Benham Rise and, second, in the prospect of Chinese construction on Scarborough (Panatag) Shoal. In light of these events, the Philippines must continue to take pains to uphold its sovereign rights and defend its national interests against unlawful or unilateral action,” Stratbase ADRi President Dindo Manhit said.

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