Statement on the Participation of PRESIDENT RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE in the 34th ASEAN Summit Bangkok, Thailand

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte leaves for Bangkok today for the 34th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit on 22-23 June 2019, where Southeast Asian leaders gather to further advance the shared vision of a people-centered and people-oriented ASEAN Community.

With the theme “Advancing Partnerships for Sustainability,” the 34th ASEAN Summit is the first of two summit meetings this year under Thailand’s Chairmanship.

President Duterte will discuss with fellow ASEAN Leaders ways to deepen cooperation on inclusive, equitable, and sustainable economic development, further enhance regional mechanisms, and promote and uphold the rights of migrant workers and other vulnerable groups.

The President will press regional and global issues affecting security and stability and growth prospects of Southeast Asia and the larger Asia-Pacific region.

These include developments in the South China Sea, the ongoing US-China trade war, terrorism and violent extremism, climate change, and transnational crimes, including the trafficking of illegal drugs.

Working with ASEAN Leaders, the President shall assess the implementation of agreements in previous Summits, including initiatives under the Philippines’ ASEAN Chairmanship in 2017, such as the ASEAN Consensus on the Promotion and Protection of Migrant Workers, the Action Agenda on Mainstreaming Women’s Economic Empowerment in ASEAN, and the ASEAN Declaration on Innovation.

ASEAN Leaders shall also examine the direction of ASEAN’s relations with external partners and how the different dialogue partnerships can be further enhanced with ASEAN at the center.

At the sidelines of the Summit, the President will hold bilateral meetings with ASEAN Leaders, including with Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-Cha, to strengthen bilateral cooperation for greater security, stability, and sustainable development.

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Thailand.

President Duterte will likewise engage CEOs of Thailand’s top business conglomerates to promote the Philippines as a key trade and investment destination.

The President will highlight the country’s sound macro-economic fundamentals and ongoing reforms that make the Philippines more competitive and business-friendly. Joining President Duterte are the Leaders of Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, and Viet Nam.

This is the President’s third visit to Thailand. The first visit was in November 2016 to pay his respects to the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej, and the second was in March 2017 for an Official Visit.

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PRRD attends oathtaking of neophyte Baste

President Rodrigo Duterte attended the oathtaking of his youngest son and Vice Mayor-elect Sebastian Duterte Friday afternoon.

Siblings Mayor Sara Duterte and 1st District Congressman Paolo Duterte earlier took their oath of office at the Sangguniang Panlungsod Friday morning.

Sebastian’s oathtaking was somehow special as it was attended by his father who was obviously very proud of his youngest son who finally entered the realm of politics.

Also in attendance were Sebastian’s children and wife, mother Elizabeth, and siblings Paolo and Sara and their children.

Cong. Paolo Duterte thanks constituents during oathtaking

Maayong adlaw kanatong tanan.

Dako ang akong pasalamat sa katawhan sa unang distrito sa Davao sa pagpili kanako isip inyong representante sa Kongreso.

I am humbled by your trust and confidence in me and in my capacity as your leader.

Allow me then to take this as an opportunity to take on the challenge presented right before me as your Congressman with optimism, courage, determination, and hope to serve you and our beloved city well.

In the next three years, let us work together in unity and, hand-in-hand, we will achieve our dreams as a family growing together under one home — a home, a city, that is more progressive, more dynamic, and responsive to the needs of the people — taking off from the concrete gains of the current leadership.

We hope to come up with laws that will positively impact our people — usher in livelihood, generate jobs, improve our infrastructures, provide education opportunities to less fortunate children and the youth, and bring about sustainable development across sectors, especially in the countryside.

Our main agenda is not only development and change, but meaningful development and positive change.

Our vision is not only for our beloved city to experience great progress. Because we also hope to see our progress spilling through the region and across Mindanao.

Sa akong amahan, kay President Rodrigo Duterte, sa akong inahan, sa akong mga igsuon — Mayor Inday Sara ug Vice Mayor Sebastian — sa akong kapikas sa kinabuhi ug sa akong mga anak, daghang salamat. Kamo ang naghatag kanako og kusog ug inspirasyon.

Sa mga nisuporta kanako, sa mga katawhang Dabawenyo, kamo ang kusog ug giya sa akong paglayag.

Sa makausa pa — daghan kaayong salamat.

CONG. Paolo Z. Duterte

Davao City, 1st District

Vaccinating 9-year-old girls may curb cervical cancer cases

MANILA — Vaccinating nine-year-old girls against human papilloma virus (HPV) could curb the increasing cases of cervical cancer nationwide, a health expert said on Thursday.

Dr. Erwin de Mesa, president of Philippine Infectious Disease Society for Obstetrics and Gynecology, said 99 percent of cervical cancer cases are caused by HPV.

“In the Philippines, 7,190 new cases of cervical cancer are recorded each year and 4,088 Filipinas die because of it every year. This means 11 Filipinas die each day and it is the second leading cause of death among women due to cancer, next to breast cancer,” de Mesa said during the National Capital Region Parent’s Forum in Taguig City.

Citing that 30 to 40 types of HPV affect the female and male genitals, de Mesa said sex with multiple partners is the most common mode of transmission of the virus.

“It is characterized by warts in genital area and buttocks and with its more than 100 types, it can cause vulvar cancer, vaginal cancer, anal cancer, mouth, and lung cancer,” he said, adding that HPV infection can be detected through pap smear, visual inspection with acetic acid and HPV DNA test.

De Mesa said abstinence from sex, being faithful to your partner, correct condom use, consultation with the doctor and vaccination are some of the ways to prevent contracting H

“There should be mutual monogamy between you and your partner. Nakatutulong din ang tamang paggamit ng condom. Dapat bago ang condom at nasa tamang (proper use of condom also helps. Your condom must be new and in the right) temperature for storage. But don’t assume that condom will keep you from contacting HPV because it can be spread through skin to skin contact with no symptoms at all,” he added.

De Mesa said vaccination against the virus “before they engage in sexual intercourse is the most effective means to prevent HPV”.

“Mayroon pong mga pag-aaral na ang mga kabataan (There are studies saying the young) at 14 years old already have exposure to HPV. To get the maximum protection of the vaccine, it must be administered twice within six months to boys and girls aged 9 to 14 years old,” he said.

To strengthen the immune system of students against HPV, de Mesa said the Department of Health included the HPV vaccine administration in their school-based immunization program.

“Kasama ang Department of Education at Department of the Interior and Local Government, ibinibigay ang bakuna sa mga batang babae na 9 to 14 years old nang libre. Sa ngayon po ang programa ay limitado lamang sa mga kabataang babae pero maaari din pabakunahan laban sa HPV ang mga batang kalalakihan (With Department of Education and Department of the Interior and Local Government, this vaccine is given to girls aged 9 to 14 years old for free. Now, the program is limited to girls but boys can also be vaccinated against HPV),” he said. (PNA)

Japan biz group to plant 10K Sakura seeds in Davao, Marawi

DAVAO CITY — As they bank on building deeper relations with the Philippines, a Japanese business group on Thursday bared its plans of planting Sakura seeds in Mintal, Davao City and Marawi City in Lanao del Sur.

In a media interview during the Davao Investment Conference 2019, Ichido Miyake, vice president of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce in Mindanao, said they are currently experimenting what type of trees would survive in a tropical country like the Philippines.

“We initially have 800 seeds from Okinawa [Japan] that will be planted in the colder areas of Davao, in Eden [Nature Park],” Miyake said.

These Sakura trees are potentially most suitable to be planted in the Philippines since Okinawa has warmer weather than the rest of the places in the country with Sakura.

Mintal, a village in Davao City, is dubbed as the Little Tokyo.

Sometime in 1937, the height of the Commonwealth era, Bagobos and Japanese coexisted and it even resulted in intermarriage.

Its agricultural activity brought more Japanese workers until there were more of them than the locals. Around 11,000 Japanese lived and worked in Mintal at the time.

“This will help bring more tourists in the city and in the country,” Ichido said, adding that the Sakura trees will be planted by the roadside.

If the experiment goes well, he said they might start the planting the seeds this year. And three years after, residents would see them bloom.

Apart from Mintal, Miyake said he and Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzano agreed to plant Sakura trees in Marawi City’s ground zero.

“Like after the nuclear bomb in Hiroshima, planting Sakura trees became part of our healing process. It symbolizes peace,” he said.

Miyake and his colleagues from the Japanese Chamber of Commerce were participants of the Davao ICON 2019. They brought with them at least 50 delegates from Japan to attend the event. (PNA)