Duterte starts ‘historic’ trip to Holy Land

JERUSALEM — President Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday started his historic trip to Israel, the first time a Philippine President will set foot in Holy Land.

The Department of Foreign Affairs said Duterte’s four-day official visit to Israel would affirm the government’s “friends to all and enemies to none” foreign policy.

“Definitely, it’s widening our horizons and so that we are able to strengthen our relationships with the rest of the nations,” Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Ernesto Abella told reporters.

READ: Duterte’s historic visit to Israel won’t hurt PH ties with Arab nations — DFA

The President, accompanied by top government officials, including soldiers and police, left Manila at 2:30 p.m. and is expected to arrive at the Ben Gurion International Airport here at past 1 a.m. (Philippine time).

The government officials who will join the President’s trip include: Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano, Labor Secretary Silvestre Belo III, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez, Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr., Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, Special Assistant to the President Christopher “Bong” Go, Political Adviser Francis Tolentino, DILG officer-in-charge Eduardo Año, Sen. Richard Gordon, and Philippine Coast Guard Commandant Elson Hermogino.

After his arrival, Duterte will immediately meet with 1,400 Filipino workers at the Ramada Hotel.

Israel is home to some 28,000 Filipino workers.

Nathaniel Imperial, Ambassador of the Philippines to the State of Israel, said, “Labor conditions in Israel are some of the best in the Middle East.

“Our workers here receive the highest minimum wage in all of the Middle East. And they have days off, they have the right to worship and practice their faith,” Imperial said.

He said the President won by a landslide in the May 2016  elections in Israel.

“They are very excited [to meet the President],” he said.

Duterte will also meet with Isareli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanhayu and President Reuven Rivlin to discuss bilateral ways to strengthen cooperations between the two countries.

“We consider this visit extremely important. We consider it a historic visit and we hope to transform this historic relationship and this enduring friendship into a more vibrant and stronger partnership,” Imperial said.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said  the president’s visit to Israel would affirm the the Philippines’ “strong” relations to the middle eastern countries.

“Ties between Israel and other mid-east countries are very strong and that the promotion of our OFW’s welfare, foreign investments and international  trade remain the cornerstone of our independent foreign policy,” Roque said.

Agreements

Imperial said various agreements would be signed during the visit of the President here.

He said a bilateral labor agreement for caregivers would be signed.

“This hopefully will ensure that the exploitative placement fees that are being charged to our workers would be substantially reduced, if not, eliminated. It will be a government to government agreement. So private recruitment agencies will no longer be involved in the recruitment process,” he said.

The Philippines and Israel, he said, would also sign an agreement on science and technology.

“Israel, as you know, is known as the start-up nation. It is known for its innovation and its very advanced software and technology. And this is something that we can learn from and that we can partner with Israel,” he said.

The envoy said part of the joining the President is “a big business delegation.”

“This is one area, the economic sphere which is very much underdeveloped in our relationship,” he said.

The Presisdent, he said, wanted to improve our economic relationship with Israel, especially the areas of trade and investment.

“We expect around 13 to 15 bilateral private sector agreements to be signed. There will be a business forum for the business delegation and the President will be keynoting this event during his visit here in Israel,” he said.

Aside from trade and investment, the two countries will also sign a defense agreement.

“We also have a logistics agreement with Israel in defense procurement in the acquisition of defense equipment and this has helped us improve our military capability in counter-terrorism, which is an important aspect of our security,” Imperial said.

“And we are also trying to diversify our sources of supply of defense equipment. And this is important if we are to pursue an independent foreign policy. And Israel is one of many countries that are providing military equipment, especially for our counter- terrorism capability program,” he added.

Holocaust memorial

On his second day here, Duterte will visit the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial Center.

In September 2016, Duterte drew criticisms after  he compared his anti-drug campaign to the Hitler-led Holocaust, saying he would be “happy to slaughter” three million addicts.

READ: Duterte ‘happy to slaughter’ drug suspects; cites Hitler

The President later visited a synagogue in the Manila to personally apologize to the Jewish community, in what he described as a “terribly wrong” remark.

READ: Duterte visits synagogue to apologize for Hitler remark

The President, Imperial said, would also visit the Open Doors monument, a monument to o commemorate the humanitarian assistance provided by the Philippines to Jewish refugees escaping the Holocaust in the late 1930s.

“We expect the President to visit this important site, which symbolizes our strong friendship with the Israeli people. And you know it’s an important part and highlight of the visit of the President,” he said.

“This monument is a manifestation of this enduring friendship and the shared history between the Philippines and Israel,” he added.

After his Israel trip, Duterte will visit Jordan for a three-day official visit. /je