PH stands to gain from Russia – DTI chief
MOSCOW – Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) secretary Ramon Lopez said the Philippines has gained from the official visit of President Rodrigo Duterte in Russia.
Despite President Duterte cutting short his official trip from four days to one day, Lopez said the bilateral meetings between the two countries, especially the meeting of President Duerte and Russian President Vl ad i mir Putin, were productive and successful.
For the part of DTI, it has completed the Philippines- Russia Business Forum i n Moscow attended by 450 businessmen, and i n St. Petersburg which was at t e nded by 200 businessmen. Around 70 percent of the participants were Russian and the rest were Filipinos.
Most of the businessmen who attended were from the sectors of pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, construction materials, iron and steel, property development, and energy, among others.
“I can consider those forums successful not only because of attendance but the good networking and business leads created from both sides,” the trade chief noted.
Some $ 875 million or around P44 billion worth of business- to- business deals were signed during the visit.
Two agreements were also signed between the DTI and Russia’s Ministry of Economic Development, along with eight other deals for cooperation in sectors of culture and the arts, tourism, agriculture, science and technology, transportation, defense, foreign affairs, and exchange of intelligence information.
Moreover, Lopez had meeting with St. Petersburg’s Chairman of Committee on External Affairs Evgeny Grigoriev, where both parties identified areas of cooperation such as pharmaceuticals i ndustry and healthcare solutions; marine and naval engineering by offering training and apprenticeship to Filipinos; and education scholarships in life science and research institutions.
“Overall assessment, they value the new friendship with the Philippines especially the close relationship, like brothers in arms, between President Duterte and President Putin. Thus, they are all- out in supporting the Philippines in any field we would like,” Lopez mentioned.
“This is just the beginning of our deep and strong partnership with Russia – Moscow and St Petersburg. They await with excitement the return of the President to Russia and they will certainly extend more fields of cooperation, building on what we have started,” he added. (