MANILA — President Rodrigo R. Duterte has designated Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea as Office-in-Charge in his absence as he is set to head to China to attend the Boao Forum for Asia from April 9 to 10.
Duterte will also be making a side trip to Hong Kong for a working visit from April 11 to 12.
“I, Rodrigo Roa Duterte, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order: The Executive shall act as OIC to take care of the day-to-day operations in the Office of the President and to oversee the general administration of the Executive Department, and he shall, if necessary, act for and on behalf of the President, except on matters that the President is required by the Constitution to act in person, during the time that the President is outside the Republic of the Philippines 09-12 April 2018,” the special order dated April 3 read.
Duterte ordered all departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the government to assist the Executive Secretary in the discharge of his functions.
Pursuant to the order, Duterte said that all acts of the Executive Secretary for and on behalf of the President will be deemed acts of the President unless he disapproves or reprobates them.
Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi earlier confirmed that Duterte will attend the forum in the southern island province of Hainan.
Yi said that the forum would showcase reform and building a shared community for the future of Asia and the world, and is dedicated to promote Asian countries to achieve development through integration of regional economy.
“It (BAF) has been playing its unique role in building consensus, deepening regional cooperation, promoting common development and addressing Asian and global issues. It has become an important bridge connecting China with the rest of the world and an international exchanging cooperation platform that is distinctively Asia but also visible globally,” Yi said.
Aside from Duterte, Mongolia Prime Minister Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh, Netherlands Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will participate in the forum.
They will discuss bilateral and multilateral cooperation, global governance, and world economy and trade in building a new consensus and produce new outcome.
Over 2,000 guests from around the world are expected to attend the Boao Asia Forum. (PNA)
