MANILA/TOKYO – President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday expressed gratitude to Japan for providing various forms of assistance to help the Philippine government’s COVID-19 response.
Duterte conveyed his appreciation for the Japanese government’s USD 3.16 million emergency assistance, two substantial loans for the country’s COVID-19 recovery efforts, and for facilitating the repatriation of 3,852 Filipinos from Japan during the pandemic.
“Until COVID-19, the Philippines was consistently among the fastest-growing economies in the region. Our fundamentals remain robust. The support of Japan raises our optimism and confidence in containing the pandemic and steering our economy back onto its growth trajectory,” the President told Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga in a 25-minute tele-summit on Monday.
Both leaders agreed to further broaden and deepen the Philippines-Japan Strategic Partnership across various areas of cooperation.
Japan and the Philippines will commemorate 65 years of diplomatic ties and a decade of bilateral strategic partnership next year. - Florenda Corpuz
