Duterte eyes improved trade with Eastern Europe via Moscow

MANILA, Philippines - After his pivot and the inflow of agriculture exports to China, President Duterte is now hoping to tap Russia to enable the country to boost trade with other countries in Eastern Europe.

In a speech before women’s groups in Malacañang the other day, Duterte said he wants to make Moscow a gateway for Philippine trade.

“So I’m going there to Putin to tell him also that I’d like to open a market in the Eastern Europe. Ang gateway ko, gawin ko siya (I’ll make him a gateway). Sabi ko (I told him), I want to trade with you. Sabi niya (He said), we’ll talk about it. Go to Moscow,” he said, referring to his talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the sidelines of the meetings for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in Lima, Peru last year.

Duterte also spoke with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev in another forum last year.

“Nagkausap kami ni Putin pati ni Medvedev (I talked to Putin and also Medmedev). So, OK na tayo. Ngayon, may pera na (Now, we’re OK, we have money). Why am I talking here? Because they are interested in small and medium industries,” he said.

Duterte has given Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez a freehand in charting the trade relations of the Philippines with the other countries.