‘Digong orchid’ to arrive from S’pore

MANILA, Philippines - The orchid which Singapore named after President Duterte will arrive in the Philippines soon.

Dendrobium Rodrigo Roa Duterte will be arriving anytime shortly to become the centerpiece of the Orchidarium in Rizal Park. The National Parks Development Committee (NPDC) will reopen the Orchidarium on May 14.

Singapore named the orchid species Dendrobium Rodrigo Roa Duterte after the President’s official visit there last year. The flowering plant is also called “Digong orchid” in reference to the President’s nickname.

NPDC executive director Penelope Belmonte said the Singaporean government gave the NPDC the privilege to acquire the orchid during a recent study tour at the Singapore Botanic Gardens.

Belmonte has also invited the public to visit the Orchidarium in celebration of the Flower Festival 2017. 

  Naming orchid species after visiting heads of states has become a practice in Singapore. It started in 1957 when an orchid variety was named after the wife of the then London high commissioner to Singapore.

More than 180 orchid varieties at the Singapore Botanic Gardens were named after visiting heads of state.

Singapore is also home to at least 180,000 Filipino migrant workers. Bilateral trade between the Philippines and Singapore is estimated at $8.8 billion.