TAGAYTAY, Philippines — The Philippines, as this year’s chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, convened Myanmar political and ethnic representatives for closed-door talks meant to revive the bloc’s stalled peace roadmap. The gathering came as ASEAN leaders said they will not certify Myanmar’s military-run election, sharpening pressure on the junta to curb violence and accept broader dialogue, Jan. 22, 2026.
The two-day “stakeholders’ meeting” discussed de-escalation, humanitarian access and steps to restart political dialogue under ASEAN’s Five-Point Consensus, Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro said. Reuters reported Philippine officials declined to name the delegations at their request and confirmed Myanmar’s military government was not represented.
In an online post, Lazaro said she encouraged “active, constructive and meaningful” sharing of perspectives on implementing the five-point plan, a 2021 roadmap that calls for an end to violence, humanitarian access and inclusive talks. The Tagaytay meeting followed Lazaro’s early-January trip to Myanmar, where Manila said she held a “warm and constructive exchange of views” with Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, the head of the military government.
One participant, the Chin National Front, said the convening signaled early momentum from ASEAN’s new chair. “This was a positive meeting,” spokesperson Salai Van said. The United Nations has warned that Myanmar’s post-coup conflict has displaced millions and left large areas hard to reach for aid groups.
Myanmar election draws an ASEAN red line
Even as Manila pushes talks, ASEAN is distancing itself from Myanmar’s three-stage general election that began in late December. Malaysia’s Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan said the bloc rejected a request to send election observers and “by virtue of that” would not certify the polls, according to a Reuters report from Kuala Lumpur.
An Associated Press account described Hasan’s remarks as ASEAN’s clearest statement yet that it will not recognize results from an election that opposition and human rights groups say is neither free nor inclusive. Myanmar’s military leaders reject those criticisms, saying the vote is needed to restore political stability.
Official figures cited by state media show the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party is dominating early rounds, putting it on track for a lower-house majority ahead of the final phase, scheduled for Jan. 25. Details of the seat count and phased voting calendar were outlined in AP reporting from Bangkok, which said voting has been staggered because of conflict and that dozens of townships will not participate due to fighting.
Myanmar crisis, from consensus to contest
The Philippines is stepping into a file that has tested ASEAN unity since Myanmar’s February 2021 coup and the bloc’s later decision to bar senior junta leaders from high-level summits. That exclusion was formalized in late 2021, as documented in an earlier Reuters report, after ASEAN leaders said the generals had failed to carry out commitments tied to ending the violence.
Rights groups have faulted ASEAN’s signature response — the Five-Point Consensus — as enforcement waned and fighting intensified. Human Rights Watch argued in 2022 that ASEAN had failed to deliver on core commitments in its one-year assessment. As the junta later revived election plans, critics warned the process could entrench military rule, concerns echoed in a 2025 analysis in The Guardian.
For ASEAN’s Philippines-led effort, the next test will be whether meetings like Tagaytay can widen beyond non-state stakeholders to include Myanmar’s military authorities and rival political forces while easing violence and improving aid access. With the final election round days away and results expected later this month, diplomats across the region are watching whether ASEAN’s refusal to certify the vote translates into sustained leverage at the negotiating table.
