Rody gets warm welcome in cold Moscow

MOSCOW – President Duterte received a warm welcome upon arrival at the Vnukovo International Airport here midnight Monday amid biting cold weather, kicking off his four-day official visit aimed at improving trade relations between the Philippines and Russia. 

Clad in a long black leather jacket, Duterte disembarked from the chartered Philippine Airlines Boeing 777-300ER flight PR001 to the smart cadence of the foyer honors given by the famous Russian Guard of Honor.

Russian Foreign Deputy Minister Igor Vladimorovich Morgulov rolled out the red carpet for Duterte and his party, after a 13-hour direct flight from Davao City yesterday.

Duterte was accompanied by his partner Honeylet Avanceña and their daughter Veronica, his son Sebastian, Cabinet officials and businessmen.

Russian Ambassador Igor Khovaev and Philippine Ambassador Carlos Sorreta joined Morgulov in welcoming Duterte.

The Philippine national anthem was played, followed by that of the Russian Federation.

Duterte had long been invited to visit Russia by President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, but he kept putting it off because he cannot stand winter in Moscow.

Duterte is scheduled to have bilateral talks with Putin and Medvedev mostly on trade relations.

Russian investments in the Philippines have remained modest. Bilateral trade between the Philippines and Russia in 2016 totaled only $226 million, with the Philippines exporting only $49 million worth of goods to Russia.

Duterte is also scheduled to receive an honorary doctorate degree from the Moscow State Institute of International Relations a month after he said he does not accept awards “as a matter of personal and official policy.”

He will then meet around 5,000 members of the Filipino community in Russia and nearby countries.

The President will also visit St. Petersburg before flying back to the Philippines on Monday with a stopover in Dubai for some private time. – With Christina Mendez