SINGAPORE: Durian featured on the menu on Friday (Dec 16) when Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong hosted visiting Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte to lunch at a restaurant at Ann Siang Hill.
In a Facebook post, Mr Lee said they capped off their nasi lemak meal with “some excellent D13 and Mao Shan Wang durians”.
Mr Lee noted that it was the second time this week that he had had durians. On Tuesday, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak hosted him and his delegation to dinner in Putrajaya, after the signing of the high-speed rail agreement between the two countries.
“International diplomacy is indeed dangerous for waistlines!” Mr Lee quipped.
Mr Duterte, who is on the second and last day of his state visit to Singapore, also had an orchid named after him.
The “compact, robust and vigourous hybrid” was named during Mr Duterte’s visit to the Botanic Gardens’ National Orchid Gallery on Friday afternoon, said the National Parks Board (NParks).
Dendrobium Rodrigo Roa Duterte (Photo: Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s Corp Comms)
The hybrid is a cross between the Dendrobium Sonia Beauty and the Dendrobium Urmila Nandey, with violet red sepals and petals.
Called the Dendrobium Rodrigo Roa Duterte , the orchid “produces upright flower sprays that bear up to 15 striking and well-arranged blooms, each velvety bloom measuring about 6cm across”, NParks added.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte with the orchid hybrid named in honour of him. (Photo: President Duterte’s Corp Comms)
After visiting the Botanic Gardens, Mr Duterte headed to the Singapore Expo, where he met members of Singapore’s Filipino community.
