PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte is set to receive an honorary doctorate degree from the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO) during his official visit to Russia this week.
The President is scheduled to accept his first honorary degree as President on Wednesday, May 24, the second day of his visit to Russia.
The MGIMO, in its website, said it has granted honorary doctorate degrees to prominent foreign politicians, public experts, diplomats and scholars working in the field of international relations and foreign policy.
Former president Fidel Ramos and then United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon are among the prominent personalities who received the honorary degree. They got the award in 1997 and 2010, respectively.
Duterte is also expected to deliver a policy speech at the MGIMO, discussing his independent foreign policy. He might also share his views on how to achieve peace and security in the Asia-Pacific region.
Last April, Duterte declined to accept the offer of the University of the Philippines (UP), the country's premiere university, to confer him the Doctor of Laws degree, saying he does not accept awards "as a matter of personal and official policy." (SunStar Philippines)