By ARGYLL GEDUCOS
AMMAN, Jordan – President Duterte arrived here WednesÂday to begin a three-day historic visit.
Duterte arrived at 5:17 p.m. Jordan time (10:17 p.m. WednesÂday in Manila) after a four-day visit to Israel. Duterte is the first sitting Philippine President to visÂit this country and Israel.
Duterte is in Jordan upon the invitation of King Abdullah II. The President had a restricted meeting with the King at the Al Husseinieh Palace Courtyard yesÂterday.
After meeting the King, DuÂterte will attend a business forum to entice Jordanian businessmen to invest in the Philippines.
During his last day here DuÂterte will meet members of the Filipino community at the Royal Cultural Palace before leaving for Davao City. There are around 40,000 Filipinos living and workÂing in Jordan as of 2017.
The Department of Foreign AfÂfairs said that Duterte’s visit will mark historic milestones, benefit trade, and strengthen relationÂships with Jordan.
DFA Undersecretary Ernesto Abella said that Duterte’s visit will be an opportunity to return the visit of the late King HusÂsein who visited the Philippines on March 1, 1976. Hussein’s visit also marked the formal establishÂment of the diplomatic relations between Jordan and the PhilipÂpines.
“With Jordan, we’re elevating our relationship with the KingÂdom with the first ever visit of a Filipino president to Jordan on the 6th to the 8th of September 2018,” Abella said.