It was a royal treatment for a VIP from the Philippines. The King of Cambodia, instead of going on his annual retreat, decided instead to meet visiting Philippine President Duterte to highlight the significance of their bilateral relations.

Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni welcomed Duterte on Wednesday morning at the sprawling Palace where he was given full military honors amid a light drizzle. The Cambodian nation was marking a Buddhist holiday Wednesday.

“We are really grateful for His Royal Majesty for receiving our President, especially so that today is a Buddhist holiday here in Cambodia. The holiday is intended to honor the saints of their faith and the King is one of the saints of Cambodia, on account of which, he normally is supposed to be in retreat,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. said in a media interview here.

“But he took this is an exception to meet with our President whom he considers as a very important person and so we’re very grateful for that,” he said.

The President was accompanied by several Cabinet members and two senators during the visit to the Royal Palace located in the heart of Phnom Penh. It was the King of Cambodia who invited Duterte to make a state visit to this Asian nation.

Roads leading to the Royal Palace were closed during Duterte’s visit. Hundreds of Cambodian students also lined up the streets to welcome and cheer Duterte and his delegation.

Yasay said the President was “very regal” and “very gentle” when he met the Cambodian King.

“We had earlier a bilateral meeting with His Royal Majesty and you see the king of Cambodia is a very cultured person, very intelligent, very regal, very elegant, well respected by the people,” he said.

“I was personally amazed by the fact that our President had measured up to this very important occasion. The President himself was also very regal, very elegant, and very gentle insofar as his engagements with His Royal Majesty this morning,” he added.

Yasay likewise confirmed that the President’s visit to Cambodia was elevated to the category of a ‘state visit” that is usually marked by pomp and pageantry in honor of a visiting head of government/state.

“We’re very grateful for that,” the DFA chief said. “We had requested only for a working visit in coming over to Cambodia but the government had elevated it to a full state visit,” he added.

From the Palace, the President was scheduled to hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Hun Sen at the Peace Palace. The two leaders are expected to tackle efforts to enhance cooperation on trade, tourism, law enforcement, and sports.

OLD AND UNHAPPY

Only six months into office, the firebrand Philippine leader already feels old and unhappy and feels that he may not be able to finish his six-year term.

In a meeting with the Filipino community here Tuesday night, President Duterte conceded that he does not need the presidency at his age.

“Matanda na ako (I’m old)…This is my last hurrah.  After this 77, hindi ko nga malaman kung (I don’t know if) I would still be around ‘till the end of my term,” Duterte told the more than a 1,000 Filipino workers at the Sofitel hotel in Phnom Penh.

Duterte, 71, said he has no regrets about winning the elections but admitted he was no longer happy with his job. His only consolation was that he is doing something right for the people. (Genalyn D. Kabiling)

“I found out very late that I do not really need it in my, during my—Hindi ko na kailangan ‘yan sa edad ko nito. Dapat ako pa-ano-ano na lang,” he said.

“I realize now that I do not need it this time of my life. But sinabi ko, I take pleasure in, at the end of the day na may trabaho ako ginawa na tama [I realize that I do not need it this time of my life. But I take pleasure in the fact that at the end of the day, that’s the only consolation, I have a job. I am doing something right],” he said.

Last Monday, the President opened up about his health in a business forum at the Palace, saying he is suffering from migraine daily.

Dutere claimed that he has “a lot of issues” with his spine after having a “bad slip” and hit the floor. His wife has discouraged him from taking a spinal operation since it was too dangerous.

“So that if you guys see me always with a sad mode, I am actually pushing a nerve here to relieve the pain,” he added.

Duterte however strongly denied rumors about having cancer, saying he actually has Buerger’s disease, a disorder affecting blood vessels.

Apart from his health issues, the President has previously complained about the heavy workload and low pay while working in Malacañang. He said he often lacks sleep since he works way past midnight.

The President has also often declared he has no lust for power, saying he is ready to lose the presidency in his fight against drugs, crime and corruption in the country.

Recently, he blamed the “yellow” forces for trying to oust him from office following their recent street demonstrations. Fortunately, Duterte said the leftist groups would not allow his removal from office since he is the “first left-leaning president.”

“Alam mo ‘yang yellow, pati ‘yang demonstration. ‘Yang yellow lang ang gusto akong tanggalin kasi hindi maka—They cannot accept defeat,” he told Filipinos in Cambodia. (The yellows demonstrate because they want to oust me.)

‘Yung mga left, hindi papayag ‘yan tanggalin ako,” he added. (But the leftists won’t allow my removal from office to happen.)

Source:
courtesy of MANILA BULLETIN

by Genalyn D. Kabiling

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