Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam —File photo
MANILA, Philippines — Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam is in the country starting today (Thursday) for a three-day state visit in a move to strengthen the two countries’ bilateral and multilateral collaboration mainly in the fields of energy and healthcare.
Tharman and his spouse, Ms. Jane Yumiko Ittogi, were set to be welcomed by President Marcos and first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, according to the Presidential Communications Office.
Aside from the bilateral meeting, the two leaders are also expected to witness the signing of memoranda of understanding on the recruitment of Filipino healthcare workers and collaboration on climate financing during the state visit.
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Tharman is the first Singaporean leader to visit the Philippines for a state visit since Halimah Yacob in 2019, according to the PCO.
The visit was firmed up during Marcos’ official visit to Singapore in May when invited Tharman and Prime Minister Lawrence Wong to come to the Philippines.
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Jobs council
Diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Singapore were formally established on May 16, 1969, marking their 55th year of diplomatic ties this year, the PCO said.
According to Singapore’s Istana presidential office, Tharman recently accepted the cochairmanship of a new World Bank advisory council focused on jobs.
The council, which was launched on Monday, will bring together leading experts across government, business, civil society and academia to “offer thought leadership and actionable strategies for creating large-scale employment opportunities,” the Istana said in a news release.
Tharman will co-chair the council along with former Chile President Michelle Bachelet until July 2026.
The Istana said Tharman will take on the role in his independent capacity, following the advice of the Cabinet that “it is in the national interest for President to perform this role”.
A legal framework for the President and ministers to hold roles in foreign and global organizations in their private capacities was approved in parliament last year. This framework stipulates that the President and ministers can perform international roles when the Cabinet advises that it is in the national interest to do so.
Tharman is currently the chair of the Board of Trustees of the Group of Thirty, the co-chair of the Global Commission on the Economics of Water, and a member of the Board of Trustees of the World Economic Forum.
His role as cochair of the advisory board to the United Nations Human Development Report concluded on Jun 30 this year.