20 December 2016 — Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was in Singapore on December 15 to 16, to undertake a State Visit at the invitation of Singapore’s President Tony Tan Keng Yam.

Accompanying the President on his first visit to Singapore were key members of his cabinet and other officials of the Philippine government. The State Visit of President Duterte was significant for both countries whose economic partnership has remained vibrant and resilient.

During the first day of the State Visit on December 15, President Duterte was given honors at a welcome ceremony at the Istana, which was followed by a call on President Tony Tan Keng Yam where both had a warm exchange of views on Philippine-Singapore relations. The leaders looked back to the almost 50 years of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Singapore. They affirmed that the two countries have come a long way and that it has been a smooth journey together. They also noted the mutual partnership both countries continue to share, which encompasses the exchange of leaders in both countries. They share the same view that there is no better way to go but to build on this achievement and further the ties.

President Duterte expressed his admiration to Singapore, how it was able to transform itself to first world country in just 50 years. He noted that Singapore continues to play a significant role in the development of countries in the region such as the Philippines.

President Duterte also met with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at Istana. The atmosphere of the meeting was very comfortable as the two are no longer strangers to each other. They had an introductory bilateral meeting at the side lines of the ASEAN Summit this year at Vientiane, Laos. The two leaders were pleased to have the opportunity this time around to have a more detailed discussion about the countries’ relations.

After the meeting with Prime Minister Lee, President Duterte was hosted by President Tan to a State Banquet at the Istana. In his toast remarks, President Duterte expressed his gratitude to President Tan for the warm and generous hospitality extended to him and his delegation. He underscored that he came to Singapore with a singular purpose of reaffirming and renewing the friendship and cooperation between the Philippines and Singapore and that of their peoples.

On December 16, President Duterte was hosted to lunch by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the Coconut Club where both leaders and their respective delegations were served with the famous nasi-lemak and durian.

President Duterte held a series of meetings with representatives of the business community and shared with them the many developments and reforms in the Philippines especially in the key growth sectors: energy and infrastructure. He told business leaders that the Philippines is open for business and they are welcomed with what they have to offer. The President encouraged big businesses to invest in the Philippines by assuring them that his campaign against drugs and criminality has made the streets of the country much safer.

In the afternoon of the same day, President Duterte was led to the Singapore Botanic Gardens for a ceremony to name an orchid in his honor. At the event, he was presented with an orchid christened “Dendrobium Rodrigo Roa Duterte.”

Another major highlight of the President’s State Visit was his much-anticipated meeting with the members of the Filipino community at The Max Pavilion in the early evening of December 16. The gathering, the largest ever by Filipinos in Singapore, was jointly organized by the Philippine Embassy and volunteers from the Filipino community.

Expectedly, the presence of the President electrified the crowd who trooped to the venue as early as 8:00 in the morning. The Filipinos, mostly OFWs, were elated to see the President and to hear him speak about the important role that they play in the economies of both the Philippines and Singapore and in maintaining good relations between the two countries. He also spoke at length about the government’s unceasing work and determination in effecting positive changes in the Philippines and its citizens.

The President’s meeting with the Filipino community was preceded by a pre-program organized by volunteers showcasing talents from the community to prime up the crowd prior to the President’s arrival. After the meeting, President Duterte and his delegation proceeded to Changi International Airport for their return flight to the Philippines.

The State Visit was successful in several ways in that it forged good rapport between the President and his counterparts in Singapore and reaffirmed long-standing bilateral ties between the two countries. It was also a milestone for the Filipino community in the city-state where President Duterte garnered 80% support from overseas voters during the 2016 elections.

Philippine Ambassador to Singapore Antonio A. Morales recognized those who contributed to the success of the State Visit, including from Manila - Department of Foreign Affairs, Presidential Management Staff, Office of Presidential Protocol, Presidential Security Group, Radio Television Malacañan (RTVM), Presidential Communications Operations Office and from the Singapore side - the Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Singapore Police Force Security Command, The Max Pavilion and more importantly, the Filipino community in Singapore. END