Duterte stays throughout APEC
By Arjay L. Balinbin
Reporter
PRESIDENT RODRIGO R. Duterte on Sunday decided to stay in Papua New Guinea for the entire duration of the 26th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit.
On Friday night, Malacañang said in a statement that Mr. Duterte was going to leave the summit early because of “urgent domestic developments.” But the statement was also recalled immediately.
In an advisory to reporters last Friday, the Palace said: “Please be informed that PRRD will leave PNG on November 17 at 11:15PM, and arrive in Davao City on November 18 at 3:15AM.”
BusinessWorld on Sunday morning contacted Presidential Spokesperson & Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador S. Panelo, Defense Secretary Delfin N. Lorenzana, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Ernesto C. Abella, and Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez regarding these “urgent domestic developments.” The officials have yet to respond to this query as of press time.
In a Twitter post, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin, Jr. confirmed that the President was staying in Papua New Guinea for the last day of the APEC Summit.
“This after I loudly and naggingly insisted he stay just one day. ONE DAY, I stressed. And that he not leave for Papua the very night ASEAN ended but the next day after a full night’s rest. But does anyone listen to me? No. He left that night and is now on his second day,” Mr. Locsin said in part in his Twitter post on Sunday morning.
To recall, the President also cut short his official visit to Jordan last September “to save costs.”
Former presidential spokesperson Harry L. Roque, Jr. said that “one day shorter means one day less expense for the taxpayers,” and they were “all very tired, the President [was] very tired.”
On the President’s participation at the APEC Summit, Mr. Panelo said in a statement on Sunday afternoon that it was “fruitful and productive.”
Mr. Panelo said, “During his meetings with our neighbors, friends and allies in APEC, the President actively engaged in important discussions and advanced our country’s priorities in what we consider as the most important economic cooperation platform in the world. He affirmed his commitment to continuously take part in and contribute to the APEC Forum, underscoring that the Philippine trade with APEC economies comprise 84 percent of the country’s total trade worldwide with 82 percent of our merchandise exports destined for the APEC region. Meanwhile, he noted that 85 percent of all imports to the Philippines come from our economic partners in APEC and about 83 percent of tourist arrivals to the Philippines also come from the APEC region.”
The Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) said in a press release on Saturday that Mr. Duterte had met with the members of the Filipino community in Papua New Guinea last Friday.
“You know, you should love Papua New Guinea. One is that, you have work here to earn money for your family. It is part of the cycle. The money that you send enriches the economy. So you should be thankful,” the President said in his remarks.
Also last Saturday, the PCOO said the Philippines and Papua New Guinea signed a five-year Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) on Friday “for greater cooperation on agriculture.”
The agreement covers “training on bio-security mechanism and systems for monitoring including sanitary and phytosanitary measures; agribusiness development; infrastructure development such as irrigation facilities and abattoirs; and agricultural research, education, and training,” the PCOO said.
“The cooperation will also cover investment in agriculture; exchange of professionals, scientists, and technicians; transfer of genetic materials and technology; exchange of scientific and technical information; and collaboration on studies and research.”
