Duterte urges India to manufacture medicines, cars in PH

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Monday urged Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to invest more in the Philippines, particularly in the manufacturing of affordable medicines and cars.

“We would (be) happy to see you building an investment that would include the medicine and the things that, I said, even the vehicles,” Duterte told Modi.

“If there is an investor that could be interested, an Indian citizen of yours who would want to venture in our place, we would be happy,” he added.

Duterte noted that medicines manufactured in India, especially the generic medicines, are priced lower than those manufactured in the United States.

The President said he would also welcome car manufacturers, noting that the Philippine National

Police uses Mahindra cars from India.

“The (Philippine) National Police is using Mahindra. It's one that's being used and there are a lot of them. I think there are almost 1,000 new (vehicles) and it's good. It's being used now. They are outside, they are guarding this place,” Duterte told Modi.

During their meeting, the two leaders also witnessed the signing of memoranda of understanding for cooperation in the fields of defense, agriculture and related fields, foreign services, and micro and small enterprises.