President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday said that he will use the opportunity to advance the Philippines' priorities in the upcoming 43rd Association of Southeast Asian Nations or ASEAN Summit in Jakarta, Indonesia, and work with other member states to address the region's challenges.

In his departure speech, Marcos highlighted the importance of ASEAN as an "epicenter of growth" and said that he would work to deepen the region's partnerships with other countries.

"I will highlight our advocacies in promoting a rules-based international order, including in the South China Sea; strengthening food security; calling for climate justice; tapping the potential of the digital and creative economies; protecting migrant workers in crisis situations; as well as combatting trafficking in persons," Marcos said.

"We will foster cooperation with these countries in areas such as trade and investment, climate action, food security, clean energy, and maritime cooperation," he added.

He will also participate in the ASEAN Plus 3 and East Asia Summits, where he will discuss the developments in the South China Sea, the situation in Myanmar, and the conflict in Ukraine.

"ASEAN has always been closely intertwined with Philippine foreign policy," Marcos said. "My administration will continue to ensure that our constructive engagements with ASEAN, our dialogue partners, and stakeholders, serve our national interest and the wellbeing of the Filipino people."

The 43rd ASEAN Summit is the second ASEAN summit to be held in Indonesia this year. The first summit was held in Labuan Bajo last May.

The upcoming 43rd summit is expected to be significantly larger compared to the previous 42nd summit. Representatives from ASEAN dialogue partners will meet in Jakarta for a series of summits throughout the week.