Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte (left) and US President-elect Donald Trump. AFP PHOTOS
Send a nice congratulatory letter and declare a moratorium on cursing.
Those were just among Senate Minority Leader Ralph Recto’s unsolicited advice to President Rodrigo Duterte at least during the opening days of the “Trump era.”
Recto was referring to Republican Donald Trump, who was elected president of the United States on Thursday.
“Here’s what Duterte should do in the opening days of the Trump era. First, send a nice congratulatory letter. And declare a moratorium on cursing. He should stop dropping F-bombs on the White House occupant. Those intercontinental expletives he fires do no good,” the senator said in a statement.
Second, Recto said, Duterte should tap Vice President Leni Robredo as the country’s representative to Trump’s inaugural.
“If the No.1 can’t make it, then it should be the No. 2. Anyone with a lower rank will convey the message that we are stuck in the Chinese orbit and have downgraded our Washington DC presence,” the Minority Leader said.
And third, Recto said, Duterte should consult his advisers on how to reboot the Philippines-US relations, taking into consideration two factors: the ascendancy of Trump and the Philippines’ assumption of an independent foreign policy.
“Trump’s victory opens a new chapter in PH-US relations which we should shape to our advantage,” said the senator.
“Whether Duterte will have a ‘bromance’ with Trump is up to both of them, for as long as the defined national interest is served, and comes ahead of conjoining personal interests.”
“Trump’s victory will only open an uncharted territory in PH-US relations if we do not plan ahead,” Recto added. JE