‘Productive’ engagements between PHL, Japan fitting birthday gift to PRRD

TOKYO—Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said this week’s productive dialogues between Japanese and Philippine officials here can be considered a fitting gift to President Duterte, who marked his 72nd natal day last Tuesday.

Dominguez’s remark was in response to a query of Katsuyuki Kawai, a senior adviser to Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, on whether the series of engagements between visiting Philippine executives and their Japanese counterparts resulted in “good news” that can be delivered as a birthday present to President Duterte.

“I told the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that we will have a very good [birthday] present to the President. We have come to a very good start and understanding,” Dominguez told Kawai during their meeting here Tuesday.

“I wish to thank the Japanese government for the warm welcome received by our delegation and the careful preparation done for our meetings,” Dominguez added.

A team of Cabinet-level officials led by Dominguez had met with high-ranking officials of the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and members of the Philippines-Japan Joint Committee on Infrastructure Development and Economic Cooperation representing the Japanese government and led by Dr. Hiroto Izumi, Prime Minister Abe’s senior advisor, during its two-day mission here.

In the meeting with Kawai, Dominguez received an update on the assistance extended by Japan to the Philippines’ campaign against illegal drugs, support for Mindanao peace and development, and ongoing efforts to strengthen maritime cooperation between the two countries.

Kawai cited the delivery only last Monday at Sangley Point in Cavite of two units of TC-90 trainer aircraft that the Japanese had agreed to lease to the Philippines for its maritime patrols.

“I hope this will help strengthen your maritime security,” Kawai said.

In the meeting, Kawai also said that Japan “would like to help set up model rehabilitation centers in the Philippines.”

“Through many occasions of discussion with President Duterte, I have come to understand that the support for him by the people has been consolidated because of the [war] against illegal drugs, so we would like to continue the support for this field,” Kawai said.

“We reiterate that Prime Minister Abe hopes to achieve peace in the Philippines and the region, I myself would like to help the Philippines and be the ‘second ambassador’ of the Philippines here,” he added.

Kawai said that Prime Minister Abe was “very happy” with the warm welcome he received from the Filipino people during his visit to the Philippines two months ago.

Kawai likewise mentioned that he believes President Duterte “is the most popular leader in the world” with Prime Minister and US President Donald Trump even briefly talking about him during their meeting in February.

“Prime Minister Abe is ready to be a bridge between President Duterte and other world leaders, including President Trump,” Kawai said.