200 delegates to join Duterte in third Japan trip

TOKYO — A 200-member delegation, 16 of which are Cabinet members, would accompany President Rodrigo Duterte in his third trip to Japan.

Duterte would be attending Nikkei’s 25th International Conference on the Future of Asia here on May 30 to 31 and meet Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during his four-day visit.

“I heard its 200,” Philippine Ambassador to Japan Jose Laurel V told reporters in a press briefing here Tuesday.

Laurel said Duterte’s trip here would be shouldered by Nikkei, the organization that invited the President.

“Unang-una ito ay imbitasyon ng Nikkei. Sila ang sasagot ng gastos [ng Presidente]. Pagka-libre ay ‘di sabihin sa kapitbahay,” he said.

(First of all this is an invitation from Nikkei. They will pay for the expenses [of the President]. If it’s free then let’s tell the neighbors.)

This number of government delegates excludes Manila’s business delegation, which would participate in trade meetings here.

The Cabinet secretaries joining the President here are:

1. Secretary Teodoro Locsin, Department of Foreign Affairs
2. Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, Department of Finance
3. Secretary Emmanuel Piñol, Department of Agriculture
4. Secretary Mark Villar, Department of Public Works and Highways
5. Secretary Karlo Nograles, Secretary to the Cabinet
6. Secretary Ramon Lopez, Department of Trade and Industry
7. Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, Department of Tourism
8. Secretary Arthur Tugade, Department of Transportation
9. Secretary Fortunato Dela Peña, Department of Science and Technology
10. Secretary Alfonso Cusi, Department of Energy
11. Secretary Eliseo Rio, Jr., Department of Information and Communications Technology
12. Secretary Ernesto Pernia, Director-General of the National Economic and Development Authority
13. Secretary Jose Ruperto Martin Andanar, Presidential Communications Operations Office
14. Secretary Hermogenes Esperon, Jr., National Security Adviser and Director-General of the National Security Council
15. Secretary Salvador Panelo, Presidential Spokesperson and Chief Presidential Legal Counsel
16. Carlito Galvez, Jr., Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity

Duterte is scheduled to arrive here Tuesday night. (Editor: Katherine G. Adraneda)