RUSSIAN Ambassador Marat Pavlov yesterday assured President-elect Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. of Russia’s readiness to extend assistance to the Philippines, especially in its energy needs amid a spike in oil prices arising from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“It is a sovereign period, we are ready to cooperate with the Filipino side, and to extend our helping hands, to satisfy the needs in the sources of energy,” Pavlov said after his courtesy call on Marcos at the BBM Headquarters in Mandaluyong City.
Oil and gas prices have been going up while inflation soared amid the Russian-Ukraine war that started in February of this year.
Aside from Pavlov, Marcos also received the ambassadors of Egypt, Israel, and Denmark and the president of the Asian Development Bank.
Pavlov said Russia is also open to expanding areas of cooperation with the Philippines under the Marcos government.
Marcos responded by assuring Russia of Philippine cooperation, and said he will stand by his independent policy in connection with the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, a statement from Marcos’ office said.
Pavlov confirmed this, saying that Marcos talked of his independent policy when they discussed the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
“As far as I understand, the President-elect would like to continue his independent policy and he will cooperate with the Russian Federation,” he said.
During the campaign period, Marcos said it is not necessary for the Philippines to take a stand on the Russia-Ukraine war, but later called on “Russia to respect Ukraine’s freedom and its citizens’ democratic way of life.”
Egyptian Ambassador Ahmed Shehabeldin Ibrahim said he relayed to Marcos the official congratulations from the Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Saeed Hussein Khalil El-Sisi and and extended an invitation for Marcos to take part in the United Nations Climate Change Conference’s 27th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 27) that will be held in Egypt in November.
Ibrahim said COP27 delegates are expected to tackle subjects designed to most effectively respond to the climate change crisis, and how nations expected will respond and put the Paris Agreement into practice through legislation, policies, and programs.
In a statement, Marcos said he is considering if his schedule would allow it. Marcos has said he is physically attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit to be held in Thailand in November.
Ibrahim said he also relayed to Marcos that Egypt is keen on strengthening its relations with the Philippines by developing other areas of cooperation between the two countries, such as agriculture and tourism, as well as climate change response.
ENERGY, FOOD SECURITY
Marcos discussed strengthening ties and pursuing cooperation in sustainable and renewable energy with Ambassador Grete Sillasen of Denmark, and cooperation in technology, agriculture and food security with Ambassador Ilan Fluss of Israel, during separate courtesy calls.
“We discussed how the innovation and technologies of Israel, and some of the practices we developed in Israel (that) can contribute to the development process in the Philippines,” Fluss said adding that they also talked about employment and terrorism.
ADB president Masatsugu Asakawa, in his call on Marcos, assured him of the ADB’s commitment to support his incoming administration’s development priorities such as infrastructure investment including projects under the Duterte administration’s Build, Build, Build program; to support agricultural development and food security; and to invest in programs promoting the welfare of Filipinos.
Papal Nuncio to the Philippines Archbishop Charles John Brown said Marcos is looking to have a strong collaboration with the Catholic Church, including the Vatican.
In a radio interview, Brown said Marcos, in their meeting last Friday, expressed his intention to work closely with the Catholic Church.
“The President-elect assured me of his desire to collaborate, cooperate closely with the Church and Holy See,” said Brown.
He also said the meeting was fruitful.
DOH CHIEF
The Philippine Orthopedic Association (POA) yesterday asked Marcos Jr. to appoint Dr Jose S. Pujalte Jr as head chief of the Department of Health (DOH).
To note, Dr. Edsel Salvaña, a member of the DOH Technical Advisory Group, and Dr Ted Herbosa, adviser of the National Task Force against COVID-19, have been recommended as health secretary.
The POA said Pujalte has vast experience and “skillfully led” POA through “challenges and turmoil” during his term as its president.
As chief of the Philippine Orthopedic Center, Pujalte steered the institution to newer heights “through vast improvements and projects,” thus enabling it to serve hundreds of Filipinos daily, the group also said.
It said the POA, “the mother organization of all board-certified practicing orthopedic surgeons in the Philippines,” believes having Dr Pujalte as health secretary will ensure continuing improvement in the health care system of the country. — With Gerard Naval
