Duterte meets Lucio Tan in Palace after President ends rift

President Rodrigo Duterte and business tycoon Lucio Tan met in Malacañang on Wednesday, days after the chief executive appeared to have mended ties with him.

Tan was part of the group of officials from Philippine and Japanese conglomerates who paid a courtesy call on the President, according to photos released by the Palace.

One photo showed a smiling Tan shaking Duterte's hand.

Duterte earlier said he would no longer bring up the businessman's alleged tax liabilities after Philippine Airlines, which Tan chairs, settled unpaid dues and offered to mount a special flight for distressed migrant Filipino workers from Kuwait.

"OK na sa akin, tapos na. Nabayaran mo naman ‘yung taxes mo at ‘yung ipinakita mo. And mind you, I am ready to protect every businessman, kagaya ninyo,” the President said in a speech at the welcome event for repatriated OFWs from Kuwait on February 13.

The Palace said in their courtesy call to the President, the Philippine conglomerates discussed competitiveness and macroeconomic fundamentals, infrastructure and innovation matters to the President.

The Philippine conglomerates were composed of representatives from Aboitiz & Company, Inc.; A Brown Company, Inc.; Jollibee Foods Corporation; DMCI Holdings Inc.; JG Summit; First Pacific Company; International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI); Double Dragon Properties; BDO Unibank Inc.; LT Group, Inc.; and Eton Properties Philippines, Inc.

Duterte also met with Japanese conglomerates as well as representatives of the Philippine-Japan Economic Cooperation (PHILJEC) to tackle infrastructure programs.

Established in 1973, PHILJEC aims to promote, strengthen and expand trade, economic, scientific technological advancements, exchange assistance to business endeavors in both the Philippines and Japan.

It was designed to be a forum for private sector dialogue and the exchange of ideas geared towards the enhancement of Philippines-Japan relations.

Present during the meeting were Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Koji Haneda, Marubeni Corporation chairman Teruo Asada, Mitsubishi Corporation chairman Ken Kobayashi, Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) international division manager Masazumi Nishizawa, and Japan Airlines chairman Masaru Onishi.

Also present were JCCI secretary general Hidekazu Oshita, PHILJEC outgoing chairman Aniceto Saludo, PHILJEC incoming chairman Gerard Sanvictores, ANA Holdings senior vice president Koji Shibata, and Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Philippines (JCCIPI) president Hiroshi Shiraishi.

Duterte was joined by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea during the courtesy calls. — BM, GMA News