PHL, Russia ink 10 bilateral agreements

The Philippines and Russia sealed a total of 10 bilateral agreements after President Rodrigo Duterte’s official visit to Moscow. (PNA photo)

MOSCOW—The Philippines and Russia sealed a total of 10 bilateral agreements after President Rodrigo Duterte’s official visit to Moscow.

President Duterte cut short his trip here after declaring martial law in Mindanao but Russian President Vladimir Putin has assured that the full package of bilateral documents will be signed by the two countries’ ministers.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano, Tourism Secretary Wanda Corazon Tulfo-Teo, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez, and Science and Technology Secretary Fortunato Dela Peña signed the agreements on Wednesday evening here (Thursday morning in Manila).

The agreements sealed in Moscow are:

• Joint Action Program for the period 2017-2019, which engages joint promotion of tourism and exchange of best practices;

• Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Agriculture Cooperation, which aims to ensure food security in the Philippines through research in agriculture and fisheries, in livestock breeding, in processing and transportation and storage of agriculture and fishery products and other agricultural products;

• Defense Cooperation Agreement, which involves exchange views and information on defense affairs, develop relations in the field of military education including military medicine, military history, sport and culture;

• Agreement on Cooperation on Transportation, which involves support and technical assistance by exchange of experience and knowledge in transport area, cooperation in the framework of research projects and educational visits;

• Protocol on Cooperation between the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, which aims to build closer ties in the area of culture and history;

• Memorandum of Intent between the Department of Trade and Industry and the Ministry of Economic Development, to foster mutually beneficial trade and investment cooperation;

• MOU on Cooperation in Industry Development, which aims to strengthen the industries of both countries by subcontracting to certain industries and sharing of technology;

• Memorandum of Agreement between the Department of Science and Technology and the State Atomic Energy Corporation or ROSATOM on Cooperation on the Use of Nuclear Energy for Peaceful Purposes;

• Agreement on Exchange of Intelligence Information, which was signed by National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr.; and,

• Plan of Consultations on foreign affairs between the two countries.

These agreements were already signed by Russian ministers before their counterparts from the Philippines inked the deals.

“Both groups are dedicated to strengthen our bilateral relations but both groups are aware that there are challenges,” Cayetano said.

“The bilateral relationship, cooperation and collaboration must redound to the benefit of our people — to the Filipino people and the Russian people.

That’s also very clear,” he added.