Manila, March 3 -- As chair of the 2026 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC), the Philippines will lead the push to strengthen regional efforts towards disaster resilience and food security.

In a news release Tuesday, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Assistant Secretary for Disaster Response and Management Group (DRMG) Irene Dumlao stressed that with Southeast Asia as one of the most disaster-prone regions, ASEAN solidarity is very much alive and evolving.

"The Philippines can strongly attest to this because of the immediate help our country received after experiencing devastation from various typhoons and geological hazards from our ASEAN brothers and sisters," she said.

Dum...