Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Enrique Manalo believes that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) must also play an active role in shaping their own future, rather than allowing the "few and powerful" to dictate it.
During the Raisina Dialogue on ASEAN, Quad, and the Indo-Pacific, Manalo underscored that it is important for the middle and smaller powers to have a role and say in their future amid geopolitical uncertainty.
He said middle and small powers rely on international law and a rules-based order to safeguard their rights.
"Regarding the importance of a rules-based order is something which ASEAN currently subscribes to, the need for all of us to abide by international law and a rules-based order, simply because middle powers and the smaller powers need international law and a rules-based order to protect their rights and enable them to thrive," Manalo said during the dialogue on Tuesday, March 18.
"And it's also important that middle powers and the other countries, smaller powers, have a role and say in their future, and that's I think what ASEAN is trying to do," he added.
"We should determine our own future and not let the future of our region be determined, for example, by just the big powers," Manalo went on.
The DFA chief also cited the importance of multilateral cooperation between ASEAN and other countries, stressing that the real challenge is how to increase cooperation and partnerships among countries in the region.
He highlighted that the ASEAN region is determined to succeed and not allow geopolitical uncertainties to prevent the region's ability from preparing their people for prosperity in the future.
"I think the ASEAN is probably the only organization or regional grouping which has the necessary infrastructure and institutional mechanisms to bring about the participation of all the big and middle and small powers in the region and also those outside the region. We have two key mechanisms, the East Asia Summit and the ASEAN Regional Forum, which every year bring together all the key players who have interest in the Indo-Pacific," Manalo said.
Manalo also pointed out that there is no fragmentation in the ASEAN bloc as it is determined to enhance its role in the region.
"And ASEAN has also increased its links with other regional organizations such as GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council), EU (European Union), etc. So, definitely, ASEAN has really maintained the road towards greater cooperation," he said.
"So, I don't really see how there could be any fragmentation as ASEAN is determined to enhance its role in our region and also enhance its ASEAN centrality," he added.
In a separate interview, Manila's top envoy also said that the Global South must expand cooperation in various means.
"Especially in today's world of increasing geopolitical uncertainty, the countries of the South need to expand cooperation in various means because we need to have a world where all countries can participate and not let our future be determined only by the few and the powerful," Manalo said in an interview with a local news network in New Delhi, India on Tuesday.