The Philippines, as the 2026 chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), hosted a crucial “stakeholders’ meeting” with political and ethnic groups from conflict-ridden Myanmar.
Hosted on January 22, 2026, the meeting was held in an effort to breathe new life into the regional bloc’s long-stalled peace efforts.
Reuters reported that the gathering in Tagaytay, Philippines, aimed to push forward ASEAN’s Five-Point Consensus as dialogue remains elusive and the crisis in Myanmar deepens.
Pushing the five-point consensus
Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro, appointed this year as ASEAN’s special envoy on Myanmar, led discussions with a range of non-military stakeholders.
Although, she did not disclose which groups attended.
Lazaro told participants she encouraged “active, constructive and meaningful sharing of perspectives” on implementing the ASEAN-brokered Five-Point Consensus adopted in 2021.
The consensus calls on all parties to cease violence, engage in dialogue, allow humanitarian aid access and support mediation efforts by the ASEAN special envoy.
Lazaro emphasised efforts to advance de-escalation, facilitate aid deliveries, tackle transnational crime and foster political dialogue.
The meeting follows Lazaro’s recent trip to Naypyitaw, where she met Myanmar’s top general, Min Aung Hlaing, in what Manila described as a “warm and constructive exchange of views” despite the junta’s continued exclusion of meaningful dialogue with other political factions.
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Junta absence, limited progress
Despite these efforts, Myanmar’s military government was not represented at the stakeholders’ meeting.
A foreign affairs official confirmed that “important political groups” took part but did not name them.
The absence of the junta underscores the broader challenge ASEAN faces in mediating a peace process that has largely stalled since the military coup of February 2021.
Myanmar has since been engulfed in civil war, with widespread violence and humanitarian suffering.
Myanmar is currently holding a phased general election, with two of three voting rounds completed and results showing a party aligned with the military holding a majority.
Western governments and observers have criticised the process as a one-sided exercise to consolidate junta power.
ASEAN, for its part, has declined to send election observers.
Implications, outlook
ASEAN’s peace plan has seen only limited improvements in humanitarian access, with fighting continuing in many areas of Myanmar.
Dialogue between the military and opposition groups remains fragmented.
The Philippines’ hosting of the stakeholder meeting reflects its broader diplomatic role as ASEAN chair and a sustained push to engage different sides of Myanmar’s protracted conflict.
While the junta’s absence highlights persistent obstacles, some ethnic groups attending the talks have expressed cautious optimism about renewed engagement.
As ASEAN prepares for further foreign ministerial discussions and retreats, Manila’s efforts signal a continued regional commitment to exploring dialogue paths, even as peace in Myanmar remains fragile and elusive.
The members of ASEAN are Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Vietnam.
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