Manila, June 10 -- The Philippines, serving as chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2026, convened a Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM) and called for collective action to sustain the momentum ASEAN has gained in recent months.

The meeting, led by Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Leo Herrera-Lim, was held at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City on Monday, according to an official ASEAN statement on Wednesday.

Anchored on the Philippines' chairship vision to "lead, sail, and rise as one region," the officials discussed key agenda items, including applications for accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia and preparations for the commemorative activity marking the trea...