Duterte employs ‘durian’ diplomacy during Abe visit

The visit of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was all about strengthening friendship between the Philip­pines and Japan that was given deeper meaning during Abe’s itinerary in Davao City, home­town of President Duterte.

Breaking protocol, Mr. Duterte and Abe toured the city and shared the traditional Filipino food and delicacies, including the host’s favorite mongo bean soup.

It was also a rare occasion when Mr. Duterte woke up early to welcome his important guest.

At past 9 a.m., the Jap­anese premier arrived at Mr. Duterte’s simple house in Dona Luisa Subdivision clad in white polo shirt with short sleeves. Mr. Duterte wore his signature plaid polo shirt.

They had a photo souve­nir in front of the President’s house and were greeted by neighbors.

Mr. Abe toured the house of the President who showed the Japanese leader his bed­room and his “famous” mos­quito net, said Special Assistant to the President Christopher “Bong” Go.

At breakfast, the two shared “biko” (sticky sweet rice), “suman” and “kutsinta” (rice cakes), “puso ng saging” (heart of banana) salad, “buko “juice and Earl Grey iced tea for drink.

The Prime Minister even had a taste of the President’s favorite mongo bean soup or “mongos” to the Bisaya (Vi­sayans).

Go said that the three of them went to the second floor of the President’s house where they exchanged gifts as souve­nirs.

Abe said Mr. Duterte’s house was one of the places he wanted to visit in Davao City. He and First Lady Akie arrived in Davao City around 9:40 p.m. on Thursday.

From Mr. Duterte’s house, the two leaders motored to the Waterfront Hotel for the meet and greet event and the nam­ing of the Philippine Eagle in honor of Abe’s visit.

At lunch time, the Jap­anese premier and Mrs. Abe were treated to Davao’s pride and considered the king of fruits – the durian. There was also the Davao pomelo.

Abe and his delegation capped their Davao visit and left the city at past noon Friday.

The visit of the Japa­nese prime minister marked a stronger Philippines – Japan partnership.

Japan has committed to support the creation of busi­ness opportunities in the Phil­ippines worth approximately ¥1 trillion yen (P334 billion) over the next five years, includ­ing a Japanese development assistance and private invest­ments for the Philippines.

This was announced on Thursday night by Japa­nese Press Secretary Yasuhisa Kawamura, who said that to realize this ¥1 trillion support to the Philippine economy, Japan would establish a joint committee on economic coop­eration and infrastructure and would also send experts to the National Economic Develop­ment Authority (Neda).

Japan will also contribute to infrastructure development such as in transportation and electric generation by taking advantage of Japanese technol­ogy.

The Japanese government is also committed to help spur the development of Davao City and the conflict-affected areas through support in irrigation, road construction, power gen­eration and education.

To strengthen the secu­rity of the country and its an­ti-terrorism efforts, Japan will provide security-related equip­ment, according to Kawamura.

Both leaders, last Friday, also met with Filipino and Japanese businessmen having discussions at the Waterfront Insular Hotel here in Davao City about investment oppor­tunities in the Philippines.

Mr. Duterte and Abe had a photo opportunity with the Filipino and Japanese business groups that joined the Japanese prime minister in his two-day official visit in the Philippines.

In his speech, Trade Secre­tary Ramon Lopez encouraged Japanese companies to invest in the Philippines.

He cited various reasons why foreign investors should invest in the country, includ­ing robust economic growth primarily driven by manufac­turing, trade, real state, renting and other business activities.

He also said the Filipino population is younger com­pared with the rest of the world with median age of 23.1 years.

The Philippines is in a de­mographic sweet spot by hav­ing a young, employed, and more prosperous consum­er-based population for the coming years, Lopez said.

He added that the country has human-capital advantage over other destinations with its English-speaking, honest and creative workforce.

It is best to invest in the Philippines because its econ­omy is powered by strategic investment flows, it has a com­prehensive national industrial strategy and a clear 10 plus one economic agenda crafted by the Duterte administration, and has strategic location ad­vantage over other countries, the DTI chief said.

After meeting the busi­nessmen, Abe and the Pres­ident proceeded to an event where a Philippine eagle was named as a symbol of the growing friendship and part­nership of Philippines and Ja­pan. The leaders’ spouses, Akie and Honeylet, also graced the event.

Abe adopted the eagle, which was named “Sakura” during Friday’s event at the Waterfront Hotel garden area.

Sakura is a female, juvenile Philippine eagle rescued by in­digenous people in Talaingod in Davao Del Norte. The bird was found in a river bank with a gunshot wound in its left ab­domen. It is being rehabilitated by the Philippine Eagle Foun­dation (PEF) in its facility in Davao.

PEF reported that there are only 400 pairs of Philippine eagle left in the wild, hoping that Sakura’s successful reha­bilitation would help boost the Philippine eagle population in the country.

Prior to Prime Minister Abe’s departure from Davao City, he visited the Mindanao Kokusai Daigaku (MKD) in Lanang in this city, meeting students and teachers there.

Mindanao Kokusai Daiga­ku is a tertiary institution of the Philippine Nikkei Jin Kai in Davao City, the school said in its website. It was registered with the Securities and Ex­change Commission (SEC) on April 18, 2001.

Among the courses being offered are BS International Studies and BS Social Services. In a brief period, MKD boasted having received accolades such as in the National Nihongo Speech Contest sponsored by the Japan Foundation in Ma­nila.

MKD is established pri­marily to help the young Fili­pinos of the 21st century in the pursuit of academic excellence and service to humanity along­side their goal of becoming globally competitive.

Abe was the first head of state who visited the home city of Mr. Duterte under his ad­ministration.

Abe and his delegation left for Sydney around 12:30 p.m. Friday as he proceeds with his four-nation swing which will bring him to Australia, Indo­nesia, and Vietnam after visit­ing the Philippines.