Robust bilateral relations, ‘enduring bond’ with Singapore will not change—PBBM

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. recently said the future is bright for the Philippines and Singapore due to their robust bilateral connections, which served as the foundation for various subsequent agreements, collaborations, and alliances.

In a roundtable conversation with Singaporean entrepreneurs this week, Marcos emphasized that the enduring bond between the two nations started at the grassroots level.

"And in that time between the very beginning of that relationship, we haven't come across any significant issues, diplomatic, political, or otherwise, between Singapore and the Philippines," Marcos told the businessmen.

The President said he does not see it changing in any way, no paradigm shift in terms of geopolitical positioning, and in multilateral relationship with the rest of ASEAN and with the rest of Asia.

"So, for me, the future is bright for the Philippines and Singapore. And I see more opportunities than we have ever had before, in fact, and it's just up to us to identify those and to agree on how to best respond to the changes that we now face," he said.

Earlier this week, Marcos underscored the Philippines' advantageous location in Asia, attractive tax incentives, and English-proficient workforce as he sought to attract investors in Singapore.

According to a statement from Malacañang, Singapore emerged as the leading contributor to foreign investment in the Philippines in 2021, with a net investment of $761 million.

In 2022, Marcos pointed out that Philippine exports to Singapore reached $4.91 billion, marking a substantial increase of 16.98 percent compared to the previous year when it stood at $4.2 billion.