FORMER President Rodrigo R. Duterte finally met with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Wednesday evening in Malacañang to discuss his recent trip to China.
In a brief statement, Presidential Communications Office Cheloy V. Garafil disclosed that Duterte talked about his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. “They also discussed other issues. The former President likewise gave some good pieces of advice to President Marcos,” Garafil said.
After their face-to-face meeting, President Marcos and former President Duterte were joined by Cabinet secretaries as well as Senator Christopher Go and former Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea.
Marcos earlier said he welcomes Duterte’s meeting with Xi since it provided the country additional new communication channels with China.
The Chinese government has recognized Duterte for his efforts in improving the relations between Manila and Beijing.
Marcos also met with members of the Senate led by Senate President Juan Miguel F. Zubiri last Wednesday in Malacañang for a dinner get-together.
“It was a birthday dinner for Senator Joel Villanueva,” Garafil said.
In a statement, Zubiri said among the issues that were discussed in the meeting were agriculture and the issue of the West Philippine Sea.
“Overall it was a very relaxed mood and the senators just wanted to catch up with the President,” Zubiri said.
Image credits: Yin Bogu/Xinhua via AP