(Reuters) — Indonesian President Joko Widodo travelled to President Rodrigo Duterte’s hometown Davao City on Sunday (April 30) to inaugurate a new shipping route to boost trade between the Philippines and Indonesia.
“One of the most important commitment that I forged with President Widodo was the opening of the ASEAN roll on-roll off route between the Philippines and Indonesia. This route shall be the first of the many routes which shall form for the international ro-ro network- it’s roll on-roll off actually- envisioned by our fellow ASEAN leaders to provide greater accessibility and open more opportunities for our countries,” said President Duterte during the ceremony
Widodo said during the inauguration ceremony in Davao port that trade between the two countries has risen by 30 percent last year and hoped to further boost economic ties with the new shipping route between Davao and Indonesia’s North Sulawesi, which will reduce shipping time from five weeks to three days.
“I hope that this new ro-ro service between Davao, General Santos and North Sulawesi represent new opportunities that will foster new businesses for both our peoples,” Widodo said.
Widodo was in the Philippines for an official state visit, which coincided with the regional summit with the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Manila.
