Myanmar has been in turmoil since the military ousted Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government, triggering the civil war that the UN estimates has killed 100,000 people and displaced more than 3.5 million.
Coup leader Min Aung Hlaing’s military has received support from China, India and Russia. His administration has gained increasing international recognition in recent months, including secret talks with US officials as the Trump administration reverses years of isolation.
Marcos, expressing hope that ASEAN could advance the implementation of the peace plan, said leaders should ask “what more can we do for Myanmar” as the crisis continued to displace families, disrupt communities and affect the country’s youth.
In addition to seeking an end to the fighting, ASEAN’s Myanmar framework calls for constructive dialogue among all parties and offers the bloc’s mediation and humanitarian assistance.
ASEAN’s special envoy on Myanmar, Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Theresa Lazaro, said on Saturday there would be “no easing” of ASEAN’s approach toward Myanmar, although a review of the five-point plan and various proposals concerning Myanmar’s participation remained under discussion and would ultimately be decided by leaders.
