MANILA, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte is set to receive an honorary doctorate degree from a Russian university during his visit to Moscow this week.
The conferment of honorary doctorate to Duterte at MGIMO University (Moscow State Institute of International Relations), an institution for diplomatic training and international relations studies, is set on Wednesday.
He is expected to deliver a policy speech at MGIMO University and hold a dialogue with students there.
The President will leave Davao Monday, May 22, Monday, for a four-day visit to Russia and is expected to arrive in Moscow at 10:30 p.m. (3:30 a.m. of May 23, Manila time).
Last April, Duterte declined the University of the Philippines’ offer to confer a Doctor of Laws honorary degree on him.
“With due respect to the University of the Philippines, I do not accept [awards] even when I was mayor. I do not accept. As a matter of personal and official policy, I do not accept awards,” Duterte said.
“I am not rejecting it. To use word reject is not good. I simply declined. I do not accept ever since,” he added.