MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte is set to travel to Japan on Tuesday afternoon to attend the Future of Asia forum from Thursday to Friday accompanied by 16 Cabinet members.
Malacañang released a list of the official delegation as of Tuesday morning, which includes:
Secretary Teodoro Locsin, Department of Foreign Affairs
Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, Department of Finance
Secretary Emmanuel Piñol, Department of Agriculture
Secretary Mark Villar, Department of Public Works and Highways
Secretary Karlo Nograles, Secretary to the Cabinet
Secretary Ramon Lopez, Department of Trade and Industry
Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, Department of Tourism
Secretary Arthur Tugade, Department of Transportation
Secretary Fortunato Dela Peña, Department of Science and Technology
Secretary Alfonso Cusi, Department of Energy
Secretary Eliseo Rio Jr., Department of Information and Communications Technology
Secretary Ernesto Pernia, Director-General of the National Economic and Development Authority
Secretary Jose Ruperto Martin Andanar, Presidential Communications Operations Office
Secretary Hermogenes Esperon, Jr., National Security Adviser and Director-General of the National Security Council
Secretary Salvador Panelo, Presidential Spokesperson and Chief Presidential Legal Counsel
Carlito Galvez Jr., Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity
Trade Secretary Lopez on Monday said Philippine and Japanese firms are expected to sign over 20 business agreements worth PHP300 billion, which would create at least 80,000 jobs.
The signed investment pledges will mostly be in infrastructure, manufacturing, electronics, medical devices, business process outsourcing (BPO), power, electricity, transport, automotive, food manufacturing, and marine manpower industries, Lopez said.
He said the DTI will also hold a business forum and roundtable discussions with the Japanese investors.
According to the DTI, Japan was the Philippines’ second major trading partner with total trade at USD20 billion, USD9.5 billion-worth of exports to Japan, and USD10.5 billion-worth of imports from Japan in 2018.
Japan is also the Philippines’ third major export market and import supplier. (PNA)
