As part of the Stories of Resilience & Resistance: Advocacy Roadshow on the Continuing Human Rights Crisis in Myanmar and Prospects for a Democratic Future, Myanmar youth leaders and regional solidarity advocates brought their call for justice directly to the Philippine Congress and Senate from 19–27 September 2025 in Manila and Quezon City.
The advocacy roadshow was organized by Initiatives for International Dialogue (IID) in partnership with Progressive Voice, Building and Wood Workers’ International (BWI), and members of Burma Solidarity Philippines. The delegation included Myanmar youth and women leaders who shared firsthand accounts of repression, resistance, and the ongoing struggle for federal democracy four years after the February 1, 2021 coup attempt.
As part of the legislative lobby, the delegation engaged with key lawmakers, including Representatives Leila M. de Lima, Arlene “Kaka” J. Bag-ao, Kabataan Party-list Atty. Renee Co all from the House of Representatives, and Senators Risa Hontiveros and Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan of the Senate of the Philippines.
The meetings centered on the continuing human rights and humanitarian crisis in Myanmar, including airstrikes on civilian communities, forced conscription, arbitrary arrests, gender-based violence, and large-scale displacement affecting ethnic minorities and youth activists. Delegates presented updates on the political situation and discussed the implications of the junta’s planned elections for the region.
The dialogues also explored possible avenues for parliamentary engagement, regional advocacy within ASEAN processes, and humanitarian responses that prioritize community-led approaches.
The congressional lobby forms a key pillar of the broader advocacy roadshow, which also includes university speaking engagements and a public forum with the Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines. Through these engagements, IID and its partners seek to amplify the voices of Myanmar’s youth, women, and marginalized communities, and to strengthen people-to-people solidarity in the region.
As Myanmar’s young generation continues to make immense sacrifices in the struggle for democracy, peace, and justice, sustained regional engagement from lawmakers and civil society remains critical.
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