‘Fruitful and productive’ visit, inaaasahan
PORT MORESBY – Matapos lumiban sa ilang pagpupulong sa Singapore para magkaroon ng sapat na tulog, inaasahang magkakaroon ng “fruitful and productive” three-day visit si Pangulong Duterte sa Papua New Guinea.
Dumating ang Pangulo, kasama ang ilang Cabinet members, sa Port Moresby nitong Biyernes ng umaga, para sa Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit na nakatakda sa Nobyembre 17 at 18.
“The Palace expects President Rodrigo Roa Duterte to have a fruitful and productive visit to Papua New Guinea, the host of this year’s 19th Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit, as he joins 20 other leaders and representatives of member economies for the Economic Leaders’ Meeting,” pahayag ni Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo.
“The APEC Forum is likewise a good opportunity for the President to express his support for mechanisms that will enable our micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to take advantage of digital and online platforms to benefit their enterprises and to bring their products and services overseas,” aniya.
Kabilang sa mga world leaders na dadalo sa APEC summit ay sina Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, at Indonesia President Joko Widodo.
Ang tema ng APEC summit, isang regional economic forum na sinimulan noong 1989, ngayong taon ay, “Harnessing Inclusive Opportunities, Embracing the Digital Future.”
Sinabi ni Panelo na inaasahan ding makikiisa ang Pangulo sa iba pang APEC leaders sa dialogue kasama ang APEC Business Advisory Council o ABAC, gayundin sa mga leaders ng Pacific Islands Forum.
Sa ngayon, wala pang pinal na bilateral meeting ang Pangulo sa kahit kaninong APEC economic leader sa kanyang pagbisita sa Port Moresby.
“As to possible bilateral meetings with our leaders and heads of economies, officials of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) are still working, coordinating and finalizing with their counterparts on the best schedule and arrangements,” ani Panelo.
Samantala, interesado ang Port Moresby na makipagkasundo sa Davao City, ang hometown ni Duterte, ayon sa isang Filipino diplomat dito.
Sinabi ni Philippine Ambassador to Papua New Guinea Bienvenido Tejano na umaasa si Port Moresby Governor Powes Parkop na makararating ang kanyang proposal upang mas mapalalim ang ugnayan nito sa Pilipinas.
“He has been telling me, since we have known each other (for long), if there will be a chance for him to propose to the city of Davao to become a sister city of Port Moresby,” sinabi ni Tejano.
“Maybe it can happen sometime in the future. I will also express this to the president,” dagdag niya.