Duterte, Japan PM Suga to hold telesummit or phone call after visit was called off — official

Pres. Rodrigo Duterte and Japan Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga.

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte may instead hold a telesummit or a phone call with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga after the latter’s official visit to the Philippines was postponed, a Palace official said Thursday.

“The truth of the matter is, may plano, pero siyempre nagpaplano ang pamahalaang Pilipinas at Japan, nasa background ang challenges ng pandemya,” chief of Presidential Protocol and Presidential Assistant on Foreign Affairs Robert Borje said in a Laging Handa briefing when asked if there will be a telesummit or a phone call between the two country leaders.

(The truth of the matter is there is a plan but while there are plans, the challenges of the pandemic are still being considered.)

Suga was supposed to visit the Philippines and India at the end of April but he decided to call it off to focus on handling the recent surge of COVID-19 cases in Japan.

Malacañang earlier expressed understanding and even support over the postponement of Suga’s official visit to the Philippines.

Borje said there are other ways to “move forward” with the agenda amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Sa tamang panahon at sa lalong madaling panahon ay magkakaroon ng oportunidad na kung hindi naman sya telesummit ay magkakaroon ng phone call at the very least ang ating mga lider tungkol dito,” he added.

(In the right time, there will be an opportunity, if not a telesummit, maybe a phone call at the very least between the two leaders about it.)

EDV