One night with Rody in Moscow

MOSCOW — Whether in Manila or here in the Russian capital or anywhere in between, the country’s most prominent businessmen would grab every chance to get on President Duterte’s good side.

Tuesday night in this chilly city was no exception. Red Square, site of the Kremlin and considered as the heart and soul of Russia, served as the backdrop of the relationship of business and politics in the Philippines: as perfectly mixed as the famed Russian potato salad.

In their sleek suits and elegant ties, many Filipino businessmen billeted at the posh Ritz-Carlton hotel here hurriedly crossed the square in a mad rush to see — and be seen by — Duterte, who was at the nearby Four Seasons.

Duterte, who sources said was extremely pissed at what happened in Marawi, was about to return to Manila, so the businessmen rushed for the mandatory “attendance check.”

After all, they came to be seen and to show their support to the government — anything to get closer to the President.

Trip cut short

Many were having dinner when their mobile phones started buzzing: the President would be returning to Manila but the Philippines-Russia Business Forum (PRBF) would go on.

The traders then rushed to the Four Seasons to pay their courtesies to the President and to the rest of the Cabinet.

In the end, and to the frustration of some delegates, they were not able to see Duterte; he was busy as his team was trying to reschedule the meeting with President Vladimir Putin at the last minute. They had to contend with having their “attendance” checked by other key government officials, led by Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano and Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez.

Those who joined the President’s chartered flight, meanwhile, had to check out immediately. They had no choice but to leave their lavish hotel rooms, never mind that the cards had already been swiped.

And the price wasn’t cheap. At the Ritz, the rooms ranged from $300 to $1,000 a night. It’s even higher at Four Seasons.

When the President left, most of the businessmen decided to stay after Lopez and his indefatigable team from the Department of Trade and Industry said the show would go on.

Business deals over vodka, caviar

At night, after attending the sessions, they negotiated business deals with their Russian counterparts over vodka and endless servings of caviar.

Some brought along their wives; others were seen with other women.

One member of the contingent, known for his pompous ways, had more than one female companion — they were his clients, he said. They were as clandestine as could be, like straggler spies from the Cold War in the land of espionage.

But they were the exception rather than the rule, probably inspired by Putin’s relationship status, as described by the locals: MBA — married but available.

At least one group went to a nightclub to see some Russian women — they with the slender, long legs and cherry red lips.

Some who couldn’t get a taxi amid the legendary Moscow traffic just stayed in their rooms.

Meanwhile, the Diehard Duterte Supporters celebrities had their own agenda. They were supposed to join Duterte in his meeting with the Filipino community but it did not materialize so they just made the most of their visit.

Presidential Communications Operations Office Assistant Secretary for Social Media Mocha Uson went shopping for boots and some souvenirs while Robin Padilla sought Russian telenovelas to bring to the Philippines.

In the end, most businessmen managed to do some honest-to-goodness business and successfully bagged deals.

Some came to get deeper into the “inner circle.”

One delegate, wearing the limited Panerai watch given by Duterte to a privileged few after he won the presidency — there were only 100 pieces of the watch which bore Duterte’s trademark fist bump — stayed on the sidelines. Perhaps, he didn’t need to work too hard to get inside the inner circle.

Most of them showed up at the opening of the PRBF on Thursday at the Four Seasons hotel.

Michael Toledo of the MVP Group hosted the event, which was attended by over 200 Filipino businessmen and representatives from some 90 Russian companies.

Padilla, a Duterte ally, also attended the forum and indulged the never-ending requests for selfies from some business delegates and star-struck journalists.

Remembrances of Russia

By late afternoon, the crowd started to dwindle. One by one, people started to leave. Some went to watch Russian ballet at the famed Bolshoi Theater, a few steps away from the hotel.

Others saw Anna Karenina, a musical based on Leo Tolstoy’s opus while some groups continued with their meetings at the hotel lobby or at The Country That Does Not Exist, a famous restaurant in the city.

Around early morning the following day, some left to attend another business forum at St. Petersburg, four hours away by train, but others decided to skip it, as Duterte was no longer around.

By weekend, many had already left but not before going around the beautiful Russian capital.

Whether or not the five-day visit would actually translate to more jobs for Filipinos remains to be seen.

It was a long way from home and no doubt a pricey trip, but being the businessmen that they are, the old adage rules: money begets money.