Singaporean leader arrives for 4-day state visit
Singapore President Tony Tan Keng Yam arrived in
the Philippines Wednesday afternoon for a four-day state visit to the country.
President Tan was given arrival honors after he
arrived at 5:45 pm at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal I
Wednesday afternoon.
Among the members of the reception party include
Vice President Jejomar Binay, Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario,
Cabinet Secretary Jose Rene Almendras, Metropolitan Manila Development
Authority Chairman Francis Tolentino and Manila International Airport Authority
general manager Jose Angel Honrado.
President Tan is visiting the Philippines for
the first time and his arrival in the country serves as a reciprocal visit to
President Aquino’s state visit to Singapore in 2011. The two leaders are
expected to discuss cooperative activities in defense, trade and investment.
On Thursday morning, President Tan will lay a
wreath at the monument of Dr. Jose Rizal at the Rizal Park. He will then
proceed to Malacanang for a courtesy call on President Benigno S. Aquino III.
President Aquino will tender a state luncheon in honor of the Singaporean
leader.
Other schedule of President Tan will be a visit
to Fort Santiago in Manila, a dinner with the Singapore community in the
Philippines and a meeting with Philippine-Singapore Business Council.
President Tan will then visit on Saturday
typhoon-ravaged areas in Tacloban, Leyte, and Basey, Western Samar, where he
will turn over medical supplies to the Basey District Hospital. The hospital is
the beneficiary of the joint rehabilitation project by the Singapore Red Cross
and the International Committee of the Red Cross.
Singapore was the Philippines’ fourth largest
trade partner last year, with total trade amounting to $8.22 billion.
President Tan will depart for Singapore Saturday
evening. PND (as)
Singaporean President Tony Tan leads
wreath-laying rites at Rizal Park
Singaporean President Tony Tan Keng Yam kicked
off his second day in the Philippines by offering a wreath in honor of Dr. Jose
Rizal at the Rizal Park on Thursday.
President Tan arrived at the park at about 10:30
a.m. and was joined by his wife, Mary, and his lean delegation during the
ceremony.
The visiting President was received by Manila
Mayor Joseph Ejercito Estrada and Cabinet Secretary Rene Almendras.
Following the short ceremony, President Tan
proceeded to Malacañang Palace to attend a state luncheon hosted by President
Benigno S. Aquino III.
The two leaders are slated to discuss various
issues in defense, trade and investment.
After his engagements at the Palace, President
Tan will tour Fort Santiago, one of the famous historical sites in Manila.
His day will be capped off with a dinner
reception with the Singaporean community at the Embassy of the Republic of
Singapore in Taguig.
Part of the President Tan’s hectic schedule in
the Philippines will be his visit to Tacloban, Leyte and Basey, Western Samar
on Saturday, where he will turn over medical supplies to the Basey District
Hospital, the beneficiary of the joint rehabilitation project between the
Singapore Red Cross and the International Committee of the Red Cross.
This is President Tan’s first official visit to
the Philippines through the invitation of President Aquino, who made a state
visit to Singapore in 2011. PND (jb)
President Aquino welcomes President Tan of
Singapore in Malacañang
President Benigno S. Aquino III welcomed Singaporean
President Tony Tan Keng Yam, who arrived in Malacañang late Thursday morning
after laying a wreath in honor of Dr. Jose Rizal at the Rizal Park in Manila.
Upon signing the guest book, President Tan paid
a courtesy call on President Aquino, where they discussed various issues of
mutual concern, including trade, investment, and security.
In a statement delivered to members of the press
after their meeting, President Aquino said he was pleased to host his
Singaporean counterpart and his delegation, and hoped they would have a ‘truly
fun’ stay in the country.
“Your visit today reaffirms the warm and cordial
relationship between our two countries, and we look forward to further
strengthening our ties, and moving forward as strong partners for progress who
share the goal of empowering our peoples and propelling our countries and our
region to even greater heights,” President Aquino said.
President Tan, for his part, thanked President
Aquino and the Filipino people for the very generous hospitality extended to
them during his first state visit to the Philippines. He noted that this was
not his first time in the country.
“President Aquino, Mary and I look forward for a
fruitful visit, where we will meet all and make new friends, and to cement the
deep friendship between our two peoples,” President Tan said. PND (hdc)
President Aquino thanks Singapore for relief
efforts after typhoon Yolanda
President Benigno S. Aquino III expressed his
gratitude to Singaporean President Tony Tan Keng Yam for Singapore’s assistance
to the Philippines in the aftermath of Typhoon Yolanda last year.
Filipinos will never forget the kindness
extended by Singapore to the Philippines, he said in a speech to welcome
President Tan.in Malacanang on Thursday.
“Singapore was one of the first countries to
reach out to the Filipino people in the wake of Typhoon Yolanda or Haiyan—and
the assistance that their people and government gave is deeply appreciated,”
President Aquino said.
Following the calamity, Singapore deployed a
Civil Defense Force team to assist the United Nations Office for the
Coordination of Humanitarian Activities, as well as a C-130 aircraft to support
ferrying operations between Tacloban and Manila, he said.
According to the President, Singapore also
donated $33,600 in emergency supplies, $96,000 in relief goods, and $160,000 as
seed money for the Singapore Red Cross’ Typhoon Haiyan fund-raising drive.
Fund-raising efforts by the private sector,
businesses, non-government organizations, the academe, as well as the Overseas
Filipino Community in Singapore have also collected more than $10 million, the
President said.
“Singapore’s generosity will indeed be
remembered with gratitude,” he added.
President Aquino further noted that President
Tan will visit Basey, Western Samar on Saturday to present medical supplies to
the Basey District Hospital. The initiative is a joint rehabilitation project
of the Singapore Red Cross and the International Committee of the Red Cross.
The Philippine government plans to build better,
stronger, and more resilient communities for the typhoon survivors, the
President said, adding that the speedy rehabilitation of health service
facilities in affected areas is key to these efforts.
The Singaporean leader arrived in the
Philippines on Wednesday for his first state visit to the country.
His four-day official visit includes a tour of
Fort Santiago in Manila, dinner with the Singaporean community, and a meeting
with the Philippine-Singapore Business Council.
On Saturday, he will go to Tacloban and Basey in
Western Samar for a handover ceremony of a health facility there. He will leave
for Singapore Saturday evening. PND (as)
President Tan congratulates President Aquino on
peace agreement with MILF
Singaporean President Tony Tan Keng Yam
congratulated President Benigno S. Aquino III and his administration on the
recent signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB).
President Tan conveyed this during his courtesy
call with President Aquino in Malacañang on Thursday.
“This is a momentous accomplishment and a
testament to the leadership and efforts of President Aquino and his
administration in brokering peace and stability for the Philippines and the
region,” President Tan said in his speech.
The CAB was signed last March 27 by the peace
panels of the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front
(MILF) in Malacañang after 17 years of negotiation.
President Tan, on behalf of his countrymen,
expressed his sympathy to the Filipino people due to the many lives lost when
super typhoon "Yolanda" (Haiyan) struck the Visayan region in
November last year.
“We are heartened that the spirit and resilience
of the Philippine people remain strong in such devastation. We have been
working with the Philippine government and stakeholders in the rehabilitation
efforts,” he said.
President Tan will hand over tomorrow the Singaporean people’s contributions to
various projects aiding the thousands of families displaced by the typhoon.
He will visit on Saturday Basey, Western Samar,
where he will present medical supplies to the Basey District Hospital, a joint
rehabilitation project of Singapore Red Cross and the International Committee
of the Red Cross.
President Aquino thanked President Tan and the
people of Singapore for their kindness as this bolsters the government’s plan
to build better, stronger, and more resilient communities in the affected
areas.
“I have always said that we Filipinos never
forget the kindness extended to us by friends, and I reiterate that now, as
Singapore continues to lend a helping hand,” President Aquino said. PND (hdc)
President Tan thanks Filipinos for their
contribution to Singapore’s growth
Singaporean President Tony Tan Keng Yam
expressed his appreciation for the contribution of the Filipino workforce to
Singapore’s economic development.
“The Filipino community in Singapore plays an
irreplaceable role in our economy and society. I take this opportunity to
express my appreciation for their contributions to Singapore’s growth and
development,” President Tan said during a state luncheon given in his honor in
Malacanang on Thursday.
As more Filipinos come to Singapore to work, the
number of Singaporeans going to the Philippines is also increasing, given the
country’s better business climate, he said.
The longstanding Singaporean community in the
Philippines is expanding, President Tan said, noting that most Singaporeans are
attracted by the Philippines’ strong growth prospects.
“Our people-to-people ties are robust. Growing
air connectivity has been an important catalyst, not only for trade and
business, but also tourism between our countries,” President Tan said.
The Singaporean leader also said he is delighted
with the recent expansion of his country’s Air Transport Agreement with the
Philippines, as this would increase the weekly air service capacity between
Singapore and Manila by at least 25 percent.
With the new air pact, he said, the charming
cities and beautiful beaches of the Philippines will be a quick plane ride away
for Singaporeans. PND (as)
Philippines, Singapore agree on enhanced
defense, security cooperation
The Philippines and Singapore agreed on a
greater defense and security cooperation after President Benigno S. Aquino III
and visiting Singaporean President Tony Tan Keng Yam met in Malacanang on
Thursday.
President Aquino said the enhanced defense and
security cooperation includes high-level military training, and educational and
intelligence exchanges between the two countries.
The Philippines has proposed the holding of a
Defense Dialogue to further strengthen this cooperation, he said.
President Aquino welcomed the opportunity to
host this year’s Asian Defense and Security Exhibition at the World Trade
Center on July 16 to 18.
“I believe that strengthening defense and
security cooperation between the Philippines and Singapore is key to
maintaining regional stability,” President Aquino said.
He said they also discussed the revival of the
Philippines-Singapore Action Plan, as a mechanism for expanding bilateral
discussions between the two countries.
The Action Plan provides a consolidated
framework for strengthening bilateral cooperation, covering trade and
investments, information technology, education, culture, defense, and
people-to-people exchanges, he noted.
The President said he looks forward to the
implementation of initiatives in these areas, to have a positive impact on
relations between the Philippines and Singapore.
He said he and his Singaporean counterpart also
had a fruitful dialogue on business and trade cooperation.
The greater transparency, accountability, and
integrity in the Philippines today enhance the country’s business climate, he
said.
Foreign and local authorities have acknowledged
the Philippines’ increased competitiveness as an investment destination and
this has created an ideal environment, facilitating growing trade between the
Philippines and Singapore, he said.
“We are indeed encouraged by the increasing
presence of both Philippine and Singaporean companies in each other’s
countries; and we believe this bodes well for the future,” the President said.
President Aquino further said they discussed the
expansion of the two countries’ cooperation in infrastructure and construction,
tourism facilities, information technology-business process management,
shipbuilding, logistics services, and agribusiness.
The Philippines also invited Singapore to
participate in the Philippines’ business sector, through the
Philippines-Singapore Business Council.
President Aquino thanked his Singaporean
counterpart for his government’s hospitality to the estimated 180,000 Filipinos
living and working in Singapore.
The presence of Filipinos in Singapore is a
vital part of the people-to-people exchanges that foster greater understanding
and strengthen relations between the two countries, he said. PND (as)
President Tan commends President Aquino for
exemplary economic stewardship
Singaporean President Tony Tan Keng Yam praised
President Benigno S. Aquino III for his good economic stewardship, which helped
turn the Philippines into one of the strongest economies in Asia today.
“Your Excellency, over the past few years, the
Philippines has made tremendous progress under your capable leadership. The
Philippine economy is consistently one of the strongest in Asia,” President Tan
said in his speech during the state luncheon in Malacanang on Thursday.
“Investment inflows are growing as a result of
burgeoning business confidence. These resulted from your resolute commitment to
enhance the level of social economic development in the Philippines,” he added.
The Singaporean leader said he is confident that
with the administration’s efforts, the Philippine government will further spur
growth and bring greater prosperity to the people.
A better business environment in the Philippines
would mean greater collaborative opportunities for Singaporean businesses
wanting to be part of the Philippines’ success story, he said.
The Philippines has had successive investment
upgrades from major rating agencies under President Aquino’s leadership.
In October last year, the country obtained a
rating upgrade from Moody’s Investors Service, completing the nation’s ascent
to investment rank.
Fitch was the first to upgrade the Philippines
in March 2013, with S&P following in May. PND (as)
President Aquino: Singapore President Tan’s
visit reaffirms deep friendship between two countries
President Benigno S. Aquino III said Thursday
the visit of Singaporean President Tony Tan Keng Yam to the Philippines
reaffirms the deep friendship between the two countries.
In his toast during the state luncheon in honor
of the Singaporean leader, President Aquino said President Tan’s visit also
serves as an opportunity to explore areas of cooperation.
“As a friend and neighbor to Singapore, the
Philippines believes that development between our two countries should not only
proceed in parallel, but should be hand-in-hand. After all, it is through
solidarity and cooperation that we will see the achievement of vast gains for
both our peoples,” he said.
President Tan met with President Aquino to
discuss matters of mutual concern, including cooperations in defense, trade and
investment, as well as the Filipino community in Singapore.
In his toast, President Aquino also expressed
his gratitude to Singapore and its people for their solidarity with the
Philippines, especially in the wake of Typhoon Yolanda.
The President assured Singapore that the
Filipino people would never forget the help it extended to support the relief
and rehabilitation efforts in typhoon-hit areas.
“It was a time of great grief and sorrow for all
Filipinos, and your assistance, along with that of the rest of the
international community, eased the burden, and helped us along the path to
recovery,” he said.
“I assure you. The Filipino people will never
forget the support you gave us, and we will always be ready to repay your
kindness,” the President added.
President Aquino also thanked Singapore for the
hospitality it has extended to all the Filipinos living and working in the
city-state, whom, he said, “advance our two countries’ desire for mutual
progress.”
“Their work helps Singapore maintain its competitive
position as a center for international trade and commerce, while their
remittances serve as a significant boost to their family members here, as well
as to the Philippine economy,” he said.
President Aquino also expressed his admiration
for Singapore’s achievements, citing NEWater, Singapore’s reclaimed water, as a
prime example of how initiative and a little ingenuity can go a long way.
“From your country’s inception, you have
successfully worked to maximize the resources available to you, showing the
world that great things can be and are made possible by a can-do attitude,” he
said.
“Seeing your success, I believe more and more
Filipinos have become more aware of the possibilities this approach can open
up; and now, I am pleased to say that, like Singapore, we are beginning to
fully utilize all of God’s bounties and gifts to us,” he said. PND (co)
President Aquino poses for a selfie with Ateneo
Lady Eagles
President Benigno S. Aquino III enjoyed a light
moment with members of the Ateneo de Manila University (AdMU) Lady Eagles as he
posed with them for a selfie during the group’s courtesy call at the
President’s Hall of Malacañang Palace on Thursday.
The Ateneo Lady Eagles has been in the spotlight
since bagging their first-ever title during the 76th University Athletic
Association of the Philippines (UAAP) women's volleyball league last month.
The Ateneo ladies dethroned last season’s
champion and arch-rival, the De La Salle University Lady Spikers, in a
three-set sweep.
Leading the Ateneo Lady Eagles were UAAP Season
76 Most Valuable Player Alyssa Valdez, and teammates Amy Ahomiro and Michelle
Morente.
Wearing a big grin, the President willingly
posed as Lady Eagles' spiker Mary Mae Tajima snapped a selfie together with her
teammates.
President Aquino gave his fellow Ateneans books
and pins as tokens during the courtesy call. PND (jb)
