Philippines-Singapore Leaders to Sign Healthcare and Climate MOUs During State Visit

MANILA — President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is set to meet with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam on August 15, as the latter begins a three-day state visit to the Philippines, the office of the President announced.

According to Philippines News Agency, this meeting marks President Shanmugaratnam’s first visit to the Philippines in his capacity as head of state and follows an earlier bilateral meeting at Singapore’s Istana on May 31. Presidents Marcos and Shanmugaratnam, along with their spouses, are also slated to witness the signing of key memoranda of understanding. These agreements focus on the recruitment of Filipino healthcare workers and initiatives on climate financing, signaling a continued effort to strengthen bilateral relations established since 1969.

This visit reciprocates President Marcos’s invitation to the Singaporean leaders during their first meeting, reflecting ongoing diplomatic engagements aimed at enhancing cooperation in sectors such as energy and healthcare. The last Singaporean leader to visit the Philippines was President Halimah Yacob in 2019.