PRESIDENT RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE’S SPEECH
DURING THE DEPARTURE CEREMONIES
FOR AN OFFICIAL VISIT TO RUSSIA
Davao International Airport, Davao City
May 22, 2017
Kindly sit down. Thank you.
Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea; Secretary of Foreign Affairs Alan Peter Cayetano; and other members of the Cabinet present; Mr. Vadim Velikanov,Chargé d'Affaires of Russian Embassy; Engr. Agnes Udang, the Area Manager, Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines; fellow workers in government; my beloved countrymen.
Maayong hapon sa inyong tanan. I speak to you now before I leave for my official visit to the Russian Federation. This is a landmark visit and I thank His Excellency Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation for the invitation. This visit is most anticipated, having been the product of my previous meeting with Prime MinisterDmitry Medvedev in Laos and with President Vladimir Putin in Peru, and most recently, in Beijing.
My visit underscores the independence of the Philippines’ foreign policy and the firm resolve to broaden the horizons of friendship and cooperation with other nations.
Russia is a country that we must work with. There are opportunities for cooperation that cannot be ignored, with its geographic footprint in the Asia Pacific region and its strategic interest in the region, a positive engagement is required to find areas of synergies and interest.
Accompanying me to Russia are the heads of Philippine legislature and key members of my Cabinet. It is a high level delegation befitting the level of importance my government places on the writing of a new chapter of Philippines-Russian relationship.
In my discussions with President Putin in APEC last year, we agreed to give a much needed boost in our bilateral relations. The doors of cooperation opened 40 years ago, but it has opened ever so slightly.
There is much room to develop mutually beneficial cooperation. There are many opportunities that needed to be explored. Now, we can work together to open those doors, even wider.
Russia must cease to be at the margins of Philippine diplomacy, overdependence on traditional partners has limited our room to maneuver in a very dynamic international arena. This is a strategic oversight that has led to many missed opportunities for our country. I am determined to correct these.
My administration will give Philippine-Russian relations importance commensurate to its full potential. We will push for pragmatic engagement in the political-security sphere, increased economic cooperation and enhance cultural and people-to-people exchanges. This is a concrete expression of this deliberate policy decision.
In Moscow, I will meet President Putin and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. We will discuss ways of charting the future direction of our partnership across many areas, and exchange views of regional and international issues to determine how we can best advance our shared interests.
Certainly, I will take the opportunity to engage the business leaders in Russia. With the Philippines’ emphasis of sustaining our economic growth, we seek responsible economic partners who would become our new allies in development.
I will let them know that the Philippines means serious business. I will also meet the Filipino community in Moscow. I will thank them for their contribution to nation building. I will also tell them that your government continues to work very hard to give you the country and future you all deserve.
My visit gives the rare opportunity for the Russian people through various events and activities to know more about the Philippines and our people. I will engage Russian youth who should know that Filipinos consider Russia as friends. And that we seek nothing more than a friendship of equals based on mutual respect.
It is my hope that this official visit relay the firm foundation of a robust, comprehensive and mutually beneficial Philippine-Russian partnership. Founded on a shared aspiration, sovereign equality and pragmatism. There is room for growth, there is room for positive change.
Thank you and good afternoon. (applause).
May I just— if you— by the way, what’s your time?
SEC. ANDANAR: Five minutes to four, Mr. President.
PRRD: Five minutes is all I got? You know, I’m wearing a truly Filipino product. It’s called Ibarra, and the literature mentions 104 Ignacia Street in Quezon City. It’s called Ibarra.
It’s assembled in the Philippines but pina-demonstrate lang nila. It’s an elegant one, very nice and I’m going to wear it proudly as a Philippine product. (applause). Ibarra, of course, all the parts are made from— ganoon naman sa Switzerland.
You can go to any factory then, and make them build your watch and itatak mo lang iyong brand mo. So, that’s what they did actually. He sent me and said na, I will not give it to you because that is graft and corruption. Just use it then if it’s worth your while and durable, pay for it. So, pero sinuot ko ngayon and wala akong ibang dinala. It’s 5 to 4?
Subukan daw niya, it’s very elegant. Of course, it’s actually gold, nothing of a sort, it’s gold plated. That’s very elegant. Iyan ang— so everybody in government should be wearing Filipino made, including the shoes. (applause).
I’m wearing my Marikina. Yes, if we do not promote our products, who will? Eh di tayo na mismo.
I would like to see the generals wearing the boots of Marikina. They’re good ones ah, ito. And someday, we will order all our requirements sa sapatos, dito sa Marikina. All we have to do is to fund them. Buy them the machines and they can make good shoes.
For wives, Filipina is the best! Really, sir.
Thank you. Let’s go and fly.
* * *
1