By Analou De Vera The Philippine has called on medical institutions in India to continue helping the country in further improving the quality of its health services, particularly in performing liver transplant procedures. President Rodrigo Roa Duterte's long-time partner Cielito "Honeylet" Avanceña (VALERIE ESCALERA / PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN) On Saturday, President Duterte's common-law wife Honeylet Avanceña had expressed gratitude to the Indian government "for sharing the burden of Filipino children" who are suffering from a liver disease called biliary atresia, which requires a liver transplant procedure. Avanceña welcomed the presence of Indian President Ram Nath Kovind during the Philippine-India Pediatric Liver Transplant Program event at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel in Makati City. During the event, Kovind and Avanceña made time to interact with at least 40 Filipino children who successfully underwent liver transplant in New Delhi, India. "President Duterte welcomes the generous and conscientious efforts of medical institutions like the Max Super Specialty Hospital and the Indraprastha Apollo Hospital in providing affordable medical services to save the lives of our children," said Avanceña. "I call on our partners to continue helping the administration in the fight against biliary atresia and other health concerns to the continuing technology transfer and capacity-building of our medical professionals," she added. The Philippines and India have "achieved great collaboration" in the aspect of technology transfer on liver transplant, said Mr. Rex Daryanani, president of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce Philippines, Inc. "Indian and Philippine doctors are now closely collaborating to transfer technology and know-how in order for these liver transplants to be conducted in the Philippines at a cost similar to that of India," said Daryanani. Avanceña said that, indeed, there is a need to train more Filipino doctors in performing liver transplant procedures. "Yes, very much...Kailangan talaga maraming doctors ang ma-train, ," she told reporters on the sidelines of the event. "We really need a lot of help and we're happy that Indians are there for us," she added. Philippine Department of Health Assistant Secretary Abdullah Dumama Jr. said that a formal partnership to train more Filipino doctors in performing liver transplant will soon come into fruition. "Our partnership will soon be a reality already. Kasi katulad ng sinabi, they are willing to train or send (Indian) doctors here para mabigyan ng karunungan ang ating mga doctors dito sa Pilipinas. We will be coordinating closely," said Dumama. The Indian president, meanwhile, was delighted that his country's engagement with the Philippines has "brought people's causes and life-giving projects within its expanding ambits." "I am glad that the Indian medical institutions ...are working with their counterparts in the Philippines to see how the success rate as well as the costs of similar transplant in the Philippines could be brought down. I wish them success in their endeavours," said Kovind. "Yesterday (Friday), I had fruitful discussions with President Duterte. We both agreed that our people must be placed at the center of our ties," he added. Daryanani believed that the Philippines and India are currently being led by "visionaries." " have the very best interest for the countries they served above most of their hearts. With this in place, there is no other time for both India and the Philippines to take the leap of all leaps and come together and improve not only bilateral trade relations with each other; but also people-to-people interaction," he said.