Duterte departs for Myanmar for official visit

President Rodrigo Duterte. SCREENGRAB FROM PTV

President Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday left  for official visits to Myanmar and Thailand to complete his swing through the nine other member-states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean).

Duterte, joined by some of his Cabinet members, left the Davao International Airport at 2:48 p.m.

The President will first visit Myanmar from March 19 to 20 and is expected to arrive at the capital Nay Pyi Taw at around 5:30 p.m. Sunday.

His official delegation to Myanmar includes acting foreign affairs secretary Enrique Manalo, agriculture secretary Emmanuel Piñol, defense secretary Delfin Lorenzana, trade secretary Ramon Lopez, communications secretary Martin Andanar, national security adviser Hermogenes Esperon, Senators Alan Peter Cayetano and Vicente Sotto III, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency director general Isidro Lapeña, and Philippine ambassador to Myanmar Alex Chua.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Duterte’s official visit to Myanmar was upon the invitation of the president of Myanmar, U Htin Kyaw.

The President is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with Htin Kyaw who will host a state banquet in honor of Duterte.

The chief executive will also meet other high-level government officials, including State Counsellor and Foreign Minister Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and Commander-in-Chief of Defense Services, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.

Duterte is also set to meet the Filipino community in Myanmar.

After his trip to Myanmar, Duterte will head for Thailand for an official visit from March 20 to 22.

Duterte and Thai Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha are set to hold bilateral meeting “where they are expected to discuss issues of mutual concern, including political, economic, agriculture, energy, education, and defense cooperation.”

The President is also “scheduled to meet the more than 16,000 Filipinos living and working in Thailand.”

Malacañang said Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea will be the caretaker of government while Duterte is on official trips. JE/rga