Medialdea takes charge of gov’t as Duterte attends Asean summit in SG

Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea will be the caretaker of the government while President Rodrigo Duterte is in Singapore to attend the 32nd Association of Asian Nations (Asean) Summit from April 26 to 28.

Duterte signed Special Order No. 371, which was released on Friday.

“​The Executive Secretary, shall act as OIC to take care of the day-to-day operations in the Office of the President and to oversee the general administration of the Executive Department, and he shall, if necessary, act for and on behalf of the President, except on matters that the President is required by the Constitution to act in person, during the time that the President is outside the Republic of the Philippines from 26 April 2018 to 28 April 2018,” the President said in his order.

The President left Davao City on Thursday and arrived at the Changi Airport at 9:56 pm aboard an 8-seater private plane.

READ: Duterte arrives in Singapore for Asean summit

Singapore is this year’s chair of the Asean Summit, a regional summit of 10 member-countries, which promotes economic, security and political cooperation.

Duterte is expected to have a bilateral meeting with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, including  a “pull-aside meeting” with President Joko Widodo of Indonesia.  /muf