By Hader Glang

ZAMBOANGA CITY, the Philippines

The Philippines’ outgoing president is expected to raise political and security concerns at an upcoming regional Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in the United States.

The Philippine News Agency reported the Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary as saying Monday that a particular focus would be the country's ongoing squabble with China in the South China Sea -- which the Philippines refers to as the West Philippine Sea.

"Expected to be discussed are the political and security issues such as the maritime security, transnational challenges and effective fight against the threat of violent extremism,” Herminio Coloma Jr. said in an interview with state-run Radyo ng Bayan.

He added that the U.S.-ASEAN Summit -- the first to be held on U.S. soil -- would be run on an informal affair, where the leaders of the 10 nations of ASEAN can express their opinions regarding issues that they feel need to be addressed.

"Based on the discussion during the last ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur last November, it is most likely that President Obama will hold dialogue with ASEAN member states regarding the maritime security,” Coloma said, calling it a vital concern to ASEAN.

"The goal of achieving ASEAN economic integration through the ASEAN economic community, as well as the U.S. initiative on establishing a Trans-Pacific Partnership to promote free trade in the Asia-Pacific region may be enhanced through more vigorous trades that, in turn, must be assured by freedom of navigation in the main navigational routes of global trade and commerce, including the South China Sea,” Coloma is reported to have said.

ASEAN members the Philippines and Vietnam are just two countries involved in territorial disputes with China over islands and reefs in the sea -- and leaders from both want guarantees from the U.S. over security in the region.

China has built man-made islands on seven reefs in the sea, a move that has sparked tensions and triggered concerns among several nations, including the U.S.

Since last October, two U.S. warships have sailed close to Chinese claimed features in "freedom-of-navigation operations" that Beijing has called "provocative".

Other ASEAN members, however, have hinted that they do not want to anger China with U.S. action.

Coloma said Monday that President Aquino has been a leading advocate for a legally binding Code of Conduct in the Sea, as well as on the importance of seeking peaceful avenues for dispute resolution that underpin the Philippines’ petition before the United Nations Arbitral Tribunal at The Hague.

China has asserted that the tribunal has no jurisdiction over the sea dispute, and has refused to participate in its hearings.

President Barack Obama will meet ASEAN leaders in Southern California on Monday for the first day of the two-day summit.

Outside of the maritime dispute, it is also expected to cover a broad spectrum of issues, including security, trade and climate change