Photo shows DICT Chief Eliseo Rio Jr. (3rd from right), Google Philippines Country Head Kenneth Lingan (2nd from right), Mahesh Bhalerao (extreme right). PHOTO by Consuelo Marquez/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — Google officials posed for a photo with Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Chief Eliseo Rio Jr. with President Rodrigo Duterte’s trademark fist bump on Wednesday at an event promoting Google’s operations in the Philippines.
Rio, PLDT chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan, Google Philippines Country Head Kenneth Lingan, and Global Director of Next Billion Users Partnerships Mahesh Bhalerao did the Duterte-style fist bump during the first Google for Philippines event at The Blue Leaf Filipinas in Parañaque City.
Rio, who represented Duterte in the event, said he was elated that Google will expand its operations in the Philippines.
“I am elated to represent our President in [the] first ever Google for Philippines event. This event will expand the operation of Google here in Manila. I am excited because it is one of the world’s giant tech companies,” Rio said in his speech.
Rio also dropped a “pick-up” line to anticipate the celebration of Valentine’s Day.
“Google ka ba? Because when I’m with you, the search has now stopped,” he said in jest.
Earlier, Google presented new features and products such as Google Station, which provides Filipinos with accessible Wi-Fi hotspots, and the Number Coding feature on Google Maps, which guides motorists on coding days. /ee