Singapore president arrives in Philippines for three-day state visit

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will meet Singaporean president Tharman Shanmugaratnam today to mark the start of the foreign leader's three-day visit to the Philippines.

Marcos and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos will welcome the Singaporean leader and his spouse, Jane Ittogi Shanmugaratnam, according to the Presidential Communications Office (PCO).

Marcos and Tharman are expected to discuss bilateral relations between the two Southeast Asian countries and witness the signing of a memorandum of understanding on the recruitment of Filipino healthcare workers and carbon credits.

During his visit, Tharman will be briefed by Environment Secretary  Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga, on the Philippines’ plans for sustainability of water and other natural assets, and possible areas for bilateral cooperation, according to Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 

"The two countries will continue to engage in cooperation in both bilateral and multilateral arenas, particularly in the fields of energy and healthcare, among others," the PCO said.

Tharman is the first Singaporean head of state to visit the Philippines in an official capacity since Halimah Yacob in 2019.

The visit comes after Marcos' trip to Singapore in May, where he extended an invitation to Tharman and Prime Minister Lawrence Wong to visit the Philippines. 

Diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Singapore were formally established on May 16, 1969. The two countries celebrated their 55th year of diplomatic ties this year.

An estimated 200,000 Filipinos live and work in Singapore, an estimated 60% of which are professionals and skilled workers, while the rest are employed as household service workers.