Brazil and the Philippines: Diverging contexts, enduring affinities

On Sept. 7, 2025, Brazil celebrates 203 years of its political emancipation. In 1822, the country formally undid the political ties to Portugal and established itself as a sovereign country, an empire in the heart of South America, ruled by Peter I, from the House of Braganza. This political emancipation was not only a demand for administrative autonomy, but also a claim to cultural affirmation and a distinct national destiny.

In parallel, 1822 would also mark a critical turning point in Philippine history. Following Mexico’s independence from Spain the year before, the Philippines was removed from the jurisdiction of the Viceroyalty of New Spain and unwillingly placed under the direct authority of Madrid. In other words, while Brazil was severing its links with the Iberian metropole and integrating itself fully into Latin America, the Philippines was moving in the opposite direction, becoming more integrated into the European sphere.

This historical divergence did not erase the fact that, for centuries, Brazil and the Philippines had shared a common Iberian experience. Between 1580 and 1640, under the “Iberian Union,” also known as the “Union of the Crowns,” stemming from the death of King Henry of Portugal, cousin of Phillip II of Spain, without an heir, both territories became formally part of the same global empire. Therefore, for many decades, we shared cultural practices, religious confession, trade routes and symbolic languages inherited from Portugal and Spain, reshaped locally by the Indigenous, African, Mestizo and Criollo populations molding each society with distinct identity.

Even though colonial structures and two oceans set Brazilian and Filipino paths apart, a deeper affinity continues to unite us – a collective sensitivity, a way of being in the world that endures despite the corrosive forces of modernity and standardization. We have a lot in common: a colonial Iberian past, shared democratic values, multi-ethnical nations, tolerant societies, a predominant Catholic religion, common and strong family values, warm and expressive peoples, colorful and music-filled festivals, love for dance and singing, passion for sports, rich and diverse cuisines and many common words. More important: we are both creative, full of energy, joy and hope. We love peace, we work hard and we are confident in our potential.

This is not to romanticize the deep challenges our countries still face. It is urgent that we address our most pressing issues: access to quality education and health, robust infrastructure, meaningful social justice and inclusion and efficient governance. But at the same time, we must boldly embrace the originality of our cultural heritage and recognize that our strength may lie in precisely what much of the contemporary West has forgotten: living with differences, honoring the ordinary and practicing a form of lightness that is not escapism, but resistance.

What is at stake here is more than politics or economics. It is a model of life. In a world increasingly driven by acceleration, technocratic consumerism, greediness, fierce competition and tearful conflicts, Brazil and the Philippines still manage – by luck or by stubbornness – to preserve spontaneity, human warmth, emotional intensity and determination. These are places where time can still be lived without urgency, where unmotivated joy, human contact, hospitality and everyday affection have not been entirely displaced by the logic of productivity and permanent performance. Like the Philippines, Brazil believes in the power of multilateralism and, above all, in the sacrosanct respect for the sovereignty and uniqueness of each nation.

This strong-willed optimism – which does not deny pain, but refuses to surrender hope – may be our most valuable inheritance. In Brazil, it persists in spite of hardships. In the Philippines, it thrives in the daily lives of a resilient and caring people.

This Sept. 7, as we commemorate Brazil’s political emancipation, we also celebrate the perseverance of a way of being. Because, in the end, what survives the collapse of empires is not dominion – but affection. And in this regard, Brazil and the Philippines remain close – by memory, by culture and above all, by humanity. Furthermore, in embracing its latinity, a feature that makes this country unique in Asia, the Philippines reinforces its credentials of representative of Latin America in this region.

The fractures that we presently witness in global democratic systems, reflected by the ascension of populist movements, challenge us to rethink the purpose and priorities of democracy. It offers an opportunity for reforms aiming at crafting policies that might address economic inequality, cultural alienation and political disillusionment. The future of democratic systems lies in building frameworks rooted in solidarity and shared purposes. In this regard, both Brazil and the Philippines play a crucial role in upholding those values.

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Gilberto Fonseca Guimarães de Moura is the Ambassador of Brazil to the Philippines, Palau, Marshall Islands and Micronesia.