MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. departed for Singapore on Tuesday for a working visit aimed at further strengthening bilateral relations between the two nations.
The plane carrying Marcos and his delegation left Villamor Airbase in Pasay City at 5:27 p.m., Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said.
During his visit, Marcos will meet with Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong to discuss expanding cooperation in trade and investment, the environment and health, and regional and global development, while reaffirming both countries’ commitment to Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) centrality and regional stability.
Singapore is set to lead the regional bloc next year after the Philippines, with Asean’s chairship rotating annually among its 11 member states in alphabetical order.
Marcos will also participate in a private roundtable discussion organized by multinational economic think tank Milken Institute at the Philippine Embassy in Singapore, where he will meet with business leaders as part of the government’s efforts following the Philippines’ recognition as an upper middle-income country.
First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, for her part, will deliver a message at the Global Economic Cooperation East Summit, a separate event in Singapore, at the invitation of the Future Economic Cooperation Council, an India-based economic platform that brings together business and government leaders to advance global strategic economic cooperation.
Meanwhile, the President designated Executive Secretary Ralph Recto, Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella III and Labor Secretary Francis Tolentino as government caretakers while he is Singapore.
