Highlighting the shared challenges that the Philippines and Taiwan face in defending their democratic values and institutions, Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan on Saturday, August 9, called on leaders and members of the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats (CALD) to “show up” for the people.
Speaking during a CALD-organized seminar on “Defending Democracy’s Frontlines: Taiwan, the Philippines, And the Fight Against Authoritarian Interference” in Taipei, the senator lamented how disinformation and lies have become “the whole strategy” of trying to win elections and stay in power.
He shared that his “come-from-behind, against-the-odds” May 2025 victory was a “win for democracy” and that it was not fought on the battleline of the internet or artificial intelligence.
“From what we’ve learned from this recent Senate win, we cannot win against lies, we cannot win for truth—without the people, real ones, even the ones who are being brainwashed into cultish beliefs and behaviors. Correction: Especially the ones who are in their camp,” he said.
A victim of disinformation, deep-fake, hyper-partisan influencers, troll farms, and AI-generated content, Pangilinan rose above the noise by “connecting with critics.”
“We engaged real people, not bots. We invited them for conversations. We talked about what we believed or thought of each other. We listened to each other as people, not as ideas or memes or trolls,” the senator, who was once CALD chairperson, said. “We tried to see the human behind the hate.”
“That’s where I think the future of democracy lies: not just in fighting disinformation with information, but in building real relationships. In showing up not as politicians, but as people,” he added. “Because the real battleground isn’t Facebook or YouTube or TikTok. It’s the human heart.”
The senator underscored the importance of building new spaces “where truth can breathe, where people can connect, where empathy is stronger than anger.”
He urged democratic leaders to reimagine democracy and by doing so, create and design political avenues that bring people closer.
CALD is the only regional alliance of liberal and democratic political parties in Asia.