Duterte set to meet business execs

NOTORIOUS TOUGH GUY. Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte. Photo courtesy of Duterte’s official Facebook page.

MANILA — Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte is set to meet several local and foreign business executives during a special luncheon event in “Binay country” on June 25.

Duterte, who was tapped for “transforming what was called the “Murder Capital of the Philippines”into one of the most livable and peaceful cities in Asia, according to various rankings”will meet business leaders from the country and from the Asia Pacific region.

The Asia Chief Executive Officer Forum said in a statement that business leaders will “hear one of the most successful Philippine mayors of our era.”

The statement was made during an event held at the Makati Diamond Residences.

“He has been re-elected by strong margin in every election he has run since 1988,” the Asia CEO Forum, which is spearheaded by PLDT Alpha Enterprise, said as quoted in a report for the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

“Rodrigo Duterte is easily one of the most popular leaders in our era. His willingness to take extreme personal risks to make positive changes for others makes him unique among elected officials of any nation,” the Asia CEO Forum added.

Duterte’s camp, meanwhile, welcomed the invitation.

“While they are impressed (by) Duterte’s governance that propelled Davao City to having a vibrant economy and had raised living standards, they want to assure themselves whether Mayor Duterte can do for (the entire) Philippines what he did for Davao,” a statement from Duterte’s camp said, as quoted in the same PDI report.