President Rodrigo Duterte and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga may hold a teleconference summit or a phone call soon after the Japanese leader decided to cancel his supposed trip to Manila early next month, an official said on Thursday.

In the "Laging Handa" public briefing, Chief Protocol and Presidential Assistant on Foreign Affairs Robert Eric Borje said there is a plan for the two leaders to talk.

"There are ways right now to move forward the agenda. But again we understand the COVID situation is a bit a very, very serious in Japan's estimation. So at the right time and as soon as possible, there will be an opportunity, if not for a telesummit, there will be a phone call at the very least of our leaders," he said.

Had Suga's visit to Manila pushed through, Borje said high on the agenda of the two leaders was about the fight against coronavirus pandemic.

He reiterated Duterte's support on the decision of Suga to cancel his trip to Manila.

"Our President said based in our press statement yesterday, if there is a need to give Prime Minister (time) to attend very urgent domestic concerns, he is all out in the support, because if the President is in the same situation, he would ask the same thing with his counterpart," the official added.

Suga was supposed to be in Manila on May 2-4 after his supposed visit to India. Celerina Monte/DMS