Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr announced this decision at a joint press conference on June 4, the first day of an introductory visit to Manila by PM Wong.
At Malacanang Palace following their meeting, PM Wong thanked President Marcos for his invitation to visit and said the bilateral relationship “has never been better”. “It is a partnership that has been carefully nurtured over the decades by successive generations of leaders and officials. It is built on a high degree of mutual trust and respect, and it has enabled mutually beneficial cooperation over a wide range of areas, for example in trade and investments,” he said.
In the sphere of renewable energy, the two countries agreed to deepen both bilateral and regional cooperation, and to accelerate efforts towards realising the ASEAN power grid. This is a plan to connect the electricity networks of the group’s 10 member countries to enable cross-border power trading by 2045. “Such projects can generate economic opportunities for the Philippines, while supporting the Philippines’ renewable energy targets,” he added.
On the sustainability front, the two countries are working to finalise a legally binding implementation agreement for cross-border carbon credit transfers that is aligned with Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. The Paris Agreement governs international cooperation to tackle climate change, and includes guidelines for countries to trade carbon credits to meet their climate targets. An implementation agreement will facilitate commercial participation in carbon credit projects, which can spur technology transfer and green investment and create good jobs, said PM Wong.
The two leaders also said their respective health ministries are exploring ways to deepen health cooperation, such as in upskilling and the reintegration of returning Filipinos into the Philippine healthcare system.
Mr. Marcos expressed his appreciation that Singapore has ensured the welfare, safety and security of the over 200,000 Filipinos working in the city state, while PM Wong said Singapore is committed to being a good second home for them. “They live and work in Singapore, contributing to our economy and society and enriching our cultural diversity,” said PM Wong. “I conveyed to the President Singapore’s appreciation for their invaluable contributions, especially the Filipino healthcare workers who stood with us during the Covid-19 pandemic,” he added.
During their meeting, the leaders reaffirmed the excellent bilateral ties between the two countries, exchanged views on regional and global developments, and underscored the importance of strengthening cooperation towards a more resilient ASEAN, said Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement.
At an official dinner held in his honour, PM Wong noted that this was his first bilateral visit since Singapore’s recent general election, and also his first visit to the Philippines as prime minister. Mrs. Wong and Mrs. Louise Araneta-Marcos also graced the dinner.
He said the visit came as the two countries have become more connected than ever, having signed an upgraded Singapore-Philippines air service agreement in May 2024. According to PM Wong, the agreement, which raised the number of code-share services between the two countries by Singapore and Philippine airlines from 35 to up to 150 flights, will enable more exchanges between the two peoples. “The Singapore-Philippines partnership is built on firm and growing connections between our countries,” he said in a toast speech. “And I look forward to working with President Marcos Jr to take it to even greater heights,” he concluded.
