State Banquet in honor of President Tharman Shanmugaratnam of Singapore 08/15/2024

Ceremonial Hall, Malacañan Palace
August 15, 2024

Celebrating 55 years of enduring bilateral relations between the Philippines and Singapore, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and First Lady Louise Araneta Marcos host a state banquet in honor of President Tharman Shanmugaratnam of Singapore and Mrs. Jane Yumiko Ittogi Shanmugaratnam at the Ceremonial Hall in Malacañan Palace on August 15, 2024.

Speaking before the Singaporean President and his delegation, President Marcos Jr. highlights the long-standing relations and vibrant exchange of people and culture, noting the 250,000 Filipinos living in Singapore.

As a testament of the two countries’ deepening bilateral ties, both leaders earlier witnessed the exchange of signed Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) on the Recruitment of Filipino Healthcare Workers and Collaboration on Carbon Credits under Article VI of the Paris Agreement.

“These MOUs are a testament to the confidence that our two countries play in one another, and our strong desire to protect our planet,” says President Marcos Jr. He also fondly recalls their first meeting in May when he delivered the keynote message at the Shangri-La Dialogue.

Highlighting the two leaders’ deep cultural and personal bonds between the nations, both Presidents recounted the presentation of unique orchids: President Marcos Jr. gifted a Waling-Waling orchid while President Shanmugaratnam presented a gold-plated orchid hybrid named Dendrobium Ferdinand-Louise Marcos.

The Singaporean President also notes the shared achievements in sports with the recently concluded Paris 2024 Olympics, where he acknowledges Philippine gymnast Carlos Yulo as the first two-time gold medalist Filipino Olympian and Southeast Asian. He also mentions future plans to enhance sports cooperation, leveraging each country’s strengths.

“The burgeoning linkages between Singapore and the Philippines are an asset for us bilaterally and also offer a strong foundation in the region as it progresses towards deeper ASEAN integration. I'm confident that the partnership between Singapore and the Philippines will not only endure but become stronger and livelier in the decades to come, and the MOUs which we have concluded today and those that are also being concluded over the course of the next day are a testimony to that desire to strengthen and grow the relationship,” states President Shanmugaratnam as he raises a toast.

The Singaporean President is in the country for a three-day state visit during which he is set to receive a briefing from Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga on the Philippines' sustainability plans and potential bilateral cooperation. He will also visit the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Center for Biodiversity and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) to discuss sustainable agriculture and biodiversity collaboration.

Additionally, President Tharman will participate in a closed-door roundtable hosted by the Asia Society Philippines and Makati Business Club to address regional economic challenges. He will also attend the Singapore Red Cross' 75th anniversary exhibition in Manila and a National Day Reception with overseas Singaporeans in the Philippines.

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