Medialdea is OIC during Duterte’s trip to Busan

FILE: President Rodrigo Roa Duterte chats with Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea at the Malacañan Palace on July 11, 2019. TOTO LOZANO/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

MANILA — Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea will be officer-in-charge while President Rodrigo Duterte is in Busan, South Korea to attend the 2019 Association of Southeast Asian Nations-Republic of Korea (Asean-ROK) Commemorative Summit.

Special Order No. 1346 signed on Nov. 22 designates Medialdea as Officer-in-Charge to take care of the “day-to-day operations” in the Executive Department from Nov. 24 to 26.

Medialdea was assigned “to ensure continuity of government service” and “oversee the general administration of the Executive Department.”

If necessary, Medialdea should also 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 in Busan.

The order also noted that all departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the government were ordered to assist Medialdea in the discharge of his functions.

All Medialdea’s acts for and on behalf of the President under the order will be deemed acts of the President unless disapproved or reprobated by the President, it added.

Off to Busan

Duterte left Davao City on Sunday night to attend the Asean-ROK Commemorative Summit on Nov. 25 and 26, a Palace statement said.

He will be joining his Asean counterparts and the leader of the Republic of Korea “to review Asean-ROK partnership and chart the future direction of cooperation in pursuit of a people-centered community.”

Leaders are expected to tackle ways to enhance relations in the areas of trade and investment, innovation and smart city development, sustainable development, countering transboundary challenges, biodiversity, and people-to-people exchanges through cultural and academic exchanges and human resource development.

Other topics are regional security issues and cooperation in maritime security and domain awareness, marine conservation, environmental protection, food and energy security, disaster management, and cybersecurity.

Duterte will also be meeting South Korean President Moon Jae-in for the third time as the two countries mark their 70th anniversary of diplomatic ties.

Earlier, South Korean Ambassador to the Philippines Han Dong-man said the Philippines and South Korea are scheduled to sign at least four agreements during the Duterte-Moon bilateral meeting.

Han said the two countries will be signing memoranda of understanding (MOUs) on social security, educational cooperation, fisheries, and tourism.

This is Duterte’s second visit to South Korea.

His first visit was in June 2018.

Accompanying Duterte in his trip are Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, Agriculture Secretary William Dar, Education Secretary Leonor Briones, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, Socio-Economic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia, and Philippine Ambassador to South Korea Noe Wong.