President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Thursday cited various memoranda of understanding (MOUs) signifying the mutual confidence between the Philippines and Singapore in expanding and deepening collaboration in the areas of health and the environment.
In his toast remarks at the state banquet attended by Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, President Marcos particularly highlighted the recruitment of Filipino healthcare workers in Singapore and the cooperation on carbon credits as evidence of the two countries’ trust in each other and their commitment to protecting the planet.
“This (Thursday) afternoon, I was pleased to see the expansion and deepening of our cooperation in the fields of health and environment,” President Marcos said.
“We witnessed the exchange of MOUs in the recruitment of Filipino Healthcare Workers by Singapore … as well as the MOU for Collaboration on Carbon Credits Under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. These MOUs are a testament to the confidence that our two countries place in one another and our strong desire to protect our planet,” he said.
President Marcos referred to the Singapore President’s visit as a rekindling of personal ties and proof of the strong bond between Filipinos and Singaporeans.
“Your visit is a testament to the strong bond between our [peoples] and each other’s countries over the years. As proof of this kinship, I recall we only recently met in Singapore at the end of May, where I had the privilege to deliver the keynote message at the 21st edition of the [IISS] Shangri-La Dialogue, and here we are once again, two months later, rekindling our personal ties and strengthening our countries,” President Marcos said.
The President also considered the visit very timely as the two countries celebrate the 55th anniversary of their diplomatic relations. He pointed to “people-to-people ties” as the heart of the relations between the Philippines and Singapore.
The Chief Executive recognized the contribution of 250,000 Filipinos — who call Singapore their home — to the growth of both the Philippine and Singaporean economies and societies. PND
