Duterte asks Singapore's help to address water problem
President Rodrigo Duterte sought the help of Singapore in addressing the country's water supply problem.
Duterte made the statement during the presentation of credentials of Singapore Ambassador to the Philippines Gerard Ho Wei Hong in Malaca?ang.
"We are happy to see you here and I hope your stay will be productive. We need a lot of advice from Singapore and I’m sure those (pieces of) advice will help a long way to help us solve the problem especially water," he said.
Duterte noted that Singapore, as well as Israel, "has the best operating machines about desalination."
Some parts of Metro Manila and nearby provinces have experienced water supply shortage, particularly those being serviced by Manila Water Co. in the east zone.
Duterte was set to hold a meeting in Malaca?ang with the officials of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System Tuesday night to discuss the water supply issue, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo told reporters earlier in the day.
Meanwhile, Duterte extended condolences to the Netherlands following attacks resulting in the death of three people.
"Before anything else, we’d like to offer our condolences of last, yesterday’s attack, three of your citizens were killed. We are very sorry but the world today is a very violent one and we’ll just have to contend with it," he told Ambassador Saskia Elisabeth De Lang of the Kingdom of the Netherlands during the presentation of credentials in Malaca?ang.
De Lang thanked Duterte for his "kind words and compassion for what happened in the Netherlands."
"We are still shocked and we are still looking for the motives of the perpetrator," the official added.
She also said the Philippines and Netherlands are working on joint projects, such as to seek a sustainable solution for environmental issues in the Manila Buy.
She also congratulated Duterte for the accomplishment on the peace process in Mindanao.
"I would like to congratulate you on this huge achievement on the peace process, you succeeded where others tried for so many years. And this inclusive peace process is highly commendable," she said.
"The international community is standing ready to assist and to make sure that now that the peace process is in this phase and that the peace will be also be won with the civil population," De Lang added. Celerina Monte/DMS
