Singapore-Philippines Ties Have Never Been Better: PM Wong

Countries to deepen collaboration in renewable energy, sustainability, healthcare and civil service development

- Ng Wei Kai

Singapore and the Philippines will deepen their collaboration in several areas, including renewable energy, sustainability, healthcare and civil service development.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr announced this at a joint press conference on June 4, the first day of an introductory visit to Manila by PM Wong.

At the press conference 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," he said.

"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."

On 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.

Mr Marcos said Singapore will continue to be a major partner in the Philippines' aspiration to diversify its energy sources, and hailed the robust ties between the two countries.

PM Wong said Singapore companies are interested in renewable energy in the Philippines, including solar and wind projects.