Departure Statement By President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. For His Working Visit In Singapore

Mga kababayan,

Today, I leave for Singapore where I will participate in the 24th Forbes Global CEO Conference and meet with business leaders and investors from Singapore and around the world.

At the invitation of Singaporean Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong, I will also meet with him to discuss our bilateral relations and regional developments.

Singapore assumes the Chairship of ASEAN next year. As the Philippines enters the final stretch of its ASEAN Chairship, I look forward to exchanging views on how we can best sustain and advance our priorities for the region.

This visit builds on the momentum of my Working Visit to Singapore last July when we engaged investors in digital infrastructure, artificial intelligence (AI), healthcare, and other priority sectors.

This time, our economic engagement will have a broader global focus.

The Forbes Global CEO Conference brings together some 450 business and thought leaders, providing us an exceptional opportunity to engage many of the world’s leading decision-makers on trade and investment. I will present the opportunities that the Philippines offers in digital technology, AI, and advanced manufacturing.

I will also touch on infrastructure, energy, healthcare, and other sectors that will drive our country’s continued transformation.

As we pursue these ambitions, we must also prepare for the economy that we are building.

AI, data centers, advanced manufacturing, and other emerging industries will require greater amounts of reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy.

Upon the invitation of Temasek Foundation and Ayala Corporation, I will visit the Singapore Nuclear Research and Safety Institute to learn from Singapore’s experience in developing scientific and technical capabilities in nuclear technology and safety. The Philippines must continue to examine all viable options for our long-term energy security, while developing the knowledge and capabilities needed to make sound decisions for our future.

Our objective is not simply to attract investments today.

We must ensure that we have the elements that are needed to sustain them in the years ahead.

I return to Singapore with a clear purpose: to build on one of our most important economic partnerships and prepare our country for the industries of the future.

Maraming salamat po.

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