Manila, April 12 -- Unity among Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) members is crucial in addressing evolving maritime security challenges in the region.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said united ASEAN member states will preserve regional stability.

"ASEAN has always drawn its strength from unity of purpose. That unity must continue to guide us not only in preserving what we have built -- but in shaping what comes next," he said in a media release Sunday.

Brawner issued the comment during the Philippine Navy Maritime Security Symposium 2026, which has the theme "Maritime Security in Southeast Asia: Navigating Continuity and Change Through ASEAN" and where he was the keynote speaker on Fri...