Written for The Diplomat
News about last month’s coup d’etat in Myanmar prompted solidarity actions in Manila, which became more frequent after the Philippine government dissociated itself from the United Nations Human Rights Council statement expressing concern over the actions of the Tatmadaw.
The embarrassing actions of the Philippine government have been repudiated by democracy-loving Filipinos in several solidarity actions. This is not enough to end the coup but hopefully it can reach Myanmar’s protesters and assure them that Filipino activists are doing their part in challenging the authoritarian government of Duterte.
What the Philippines Can Learn from Myanmar’s Election
Written for The Diplomat
The partial unofficial results of the United States elections were reported on November 8, which was also the same day Myanmar held its general election. Many Filipinos closely monitored the reelection bid of President Donald Trump, which they believe could serve as a guide on how to challenge the party of by President Rodrigo Duterte at the country’s next presidential election in 2022. Meanwhile, only a few bothered to comment about the significance of the Myanmar polls and how the continued dominance of the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) could offer concrete lessons for the Philippines. There is a lot to say about the notorious populism of Trump and Duterte but the reelection of the NLD is a timely reminder that a government which has received international condemnation for human rights abuses can still tap popular domestic support in order to cling to power.
Myanmar’s political context is obviously different from the Philippines. An NLD victory does not necessarily mark a reverse of the country’s democratic transition, given that it represented another embarrassing defeat for the military-backed party. Nevertheless, Myanmar’s recent electoral experience provides several crucial lessons for both ruling and opposition parties in the Philippines, which they can apply in the run-up for the 2022 elections.
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