Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan highlighted the "close and constructive relationship" shared by Singapore and the Philippines in a doorstop interview in the Philippines on Apr. 18.

Singapore-Philippines ties flourishing

When asked about the state of the Singapore-Philippines relationship, Vivian said it was "excellent".

He noted that President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr will be coming to Singapore on May 31, 2024, to deliver the keynote address for the Shangri-La Dialogue.

This was just one example of the "close conversations and alignment of strategic interests" between Singaporean and Filipino leaders throughout 55 years of diplomatic ties.

In terms of ties at the people-to-people level, Vivian pointed out that many Filipinos live, work, and study in Singapore.

Describing the relationship as a "strong bond" founded on a "deep principle" of goodwill, trust and gratitude", he hailed the "profound difference" made by Filipinos in Singapore society.

Vivian concluded that ties at both the people-to-people level and the company-to-company corporate level are doing "very, very well".

He said there was "much more to look forward to" in the future.

Optimistic expectation of the Philippines' future economic prospects

At the business level, Vivian noted that Singapore remains one of the Philippine's top investors and struck an optimistic note on the Philippines' future economic prospects.

"The Philippines represents a large, young, dynamic country in Asean," Vivian said.

"In the years to come, I expect to see a further acceleration of their economic growth. In fact, in the past couple of decades, the Philippines has been able to show consistent, steady economic growth. But I think it is now on a threshold where it can do far more," he added.

He mentioned BreadTalk, Tung Lok, and Tiong Bahru Chicken Rice, as some of the Singaporean brands active in the Philippines and doing well.

Likewise, Philippine brands like Sumifru and Jollibee have become household names in Singapore, while a Philippines-based company, Aboitiz, which focuses on AI and data science, has also established a unit here.

In addition, Singapore is eager to deepen economic cooperation with the Philippines, on matters such as carbon credits and green energy.

Vivian said:

"For the future, we are also interested in carbon credits. We are working with the Philippines so that they will be able to establish a carbon credit market, which will be consistent with Article Six of the Paris Agreement.

This will provide new opportunities as the Philippines also transforms its economy to a more green and renewable form of economy."

Vivian also mentioned New Clark City as an "exciting" emerging smart city.

He cited Changi Airport Group's involvement in the operation of Clark International Airport and SIA Engineering providing training opportunities for Filipino workers.

To that end, he said Singapore could play a "special role" in "(elevating) service standards, (breaking) new ground in new industries ... (and elevating) the pool of skilled talent available to the Philippines".

When asked about new markets in Singapore that Philippine businesses are interested to enter, as well as how Singapore can attract more  investment from the Philippines, Vivian mentioned the artificial intelligence sector as well as aviation, logistics, and tourism, describing them as "potential waiting to be tapped".

Counter-terrorism remains a priority

Vivian also touched on how Singapore-Philippines ties could help keep the region safe, in light of  a "potentially higher" threat of terrorism in the region due to the Israel-Hamas war.

He responded that terrorism remains a "clear and present threat" which goes across borders.

The minister highlighted the "very close and constructive relationship" between Singapore and the Philippines, on matters of defence, counterterrorism, security, and intelligence.

Effective mechanisms for intelligence-sharing and for counterterrorism are therefore needed and only work thanks to the history of trust between the two states.

Was on a four-day visit to the Philippines

Vivian had just completed a four-day working visit to the Philippines.

Earlier in his visit, he had met President Marcos Jr., Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique Manalo, and Vice President Sara Duterte.

Singapore commemorates 55 years of diplomatic relations with the Philippines next month.

Diplomatic relations were first established on May 16, 1969.

Top photo via Vivian Balakrishnan/Facebook