AMBASSADOR of Singapore to the Philippines Kok Li Peng happens to be one of the more indefatigable and involved members of the local diplomatic community.
On many occasions, Kok made her presence felt in various undertakings, which brought her to simple gatherings of embassies in key cities of the country and as far as besieged areas, such as war-torn Marawi in Lanao del Sur.
Ably in all these instances, she represented Singapore as a nation committed to the noteworthy causes of its nearby states.
While the envoy mentions the merrymaking in her native country, she shares her thoughts about the long-standing interactions between Singapore and the Philippines.
ENVOYS&EXPATS: Warm felicitations on your country’s anniversary as a sovereign nation! We learned there’s a big parade back home highlighting the Singaporean spirit of patriotism.
KOK: That’s right. This year’s National Day Parade theme is: “We are Singapore.” The parade will depict who we Singaporeans are as a people, what we have overcome to reach this point in our history, and what we aspire to be together in the future.
The theme is equally a pledge of unity and togetherness by Singapore’s diverse cultures and origins.
Are there activities lined up for local celebrations in the Philippines? Would you care to share what they are?
The Singapore Embassy in Manila held its annual National Day reception at (a hotel) in Makati City yesterday, August 8. Approximately 700 guests were in attendance, comprising Filipino friends from government, business, media and the arts, as well as our Singaporean community in Manila.
Apart from a good spread of Singaporean favorites like chicken rice, laksa, prata and satay, Singaporean brands like Hawker Chan, Run Rabbit Run and Golden Duck also had the opportunity to introduce their products to a wider Filipino audience.
Give us a picture of the state of bilateral relations between the two countries. How much is the value of trade between them? Which sectors are involved?
As fellow founding members of Asean, Singapore and the Philippines enjoy warm and long-standing relations with deep linkages in trade, investment and people-to-people exchanges. We will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of our diplomatic ties in 2019.
Our annual bilateral trade easily reaches S$15 billion (about $10.38 billion, or P583 billion). Singapore is the Philippines’s top trading partner in Asean, and fourth-largest trading partner overall. Among Asean countries, Singapore is also the Philippines’s largest investor.
Singaporean companies in the Philippines are in diverse sectors, such as services, logistics and consumer industries. There is a lot of interest in doing business (here).
First, the Philippines boasts a steady annual growth rate of more than 6 percent over the past four years—a bright spot amid prevailing global uncertainty.
Second, the Philippines possesses a large consumer market. Its population size stands at more than 100 million people, and the middle class is set to increase by 41.8 percent between 2015 and 2030. (It will) reach 8.4 million by 2030.
Taken together, it presents a favorable economic climate for businesses to take advantage of. At the same time, both the government and local companies recognize the importance of making it easier to do business in the Philippines.
Much has been done in the previous and current administrations to streamline processes, cut red tape and increase the competitiveness of the Philippines. This will lead to more “win-win” outcomes.
Despite some of the Philippines’s economic uncertainties, Singapore continues to invest heavily in it. May we know your thoughts about this?
Our people-to-people links are deep. For one, many Filipinos work, live and study in Singapore.
I take this opportunity to express my appreciation for all Filipinos working in various sectors (there). They make significant contributions to Singapore’s economic development. Their professionalism and warmth are universally well-regarded.
There are many Filipino students in Singapore as well, including those enrolled in the Asean Scholarship program.
(Apart from) their contributions to our economy, the Philippines is an important partner and collaborator in the fields of arts and culture. Many beautiful pieces hang in the National Gallery of Singapore and the Singapore Art Museum, for example. Singaporean artists, in turn, visit the Philippines to collaborate with local partners to build new and exciting artworks.
We know it’s Singapore’s big day, but nonetheless, would you care to share your “wish list” for our countries’ diplomatic partnership?
Both our countries are thriving, and there is much to learn from each other. There remains a lot of untapped potential in our bilateral relationship. As we are poised to celebrate 50 years of diplomatic ties in 2019, I wish for it to grow even stronger for the mutual benefit of our peoples.
First is in strengthening trade and investment links. I believe our trade and investment links can be even better. Our businessmen look forward to opportunities under “Build, Build, Build” in infrastructure and urban solutions.
Another area where we can do even better is in the deepening of our people-to-people links and promoting tourism flows. This, in turn, depends on increasing our air links by expanding air services between us, beyond Singapore and the Philippines.
As of June 2016, Singapore and Philippine carriers operate a total of 148 weekly passenger services, or about 22 daily services, between (our countries). We have direct flights between Singapore and Clark in Pampanga, Cebu City, Davao City, Iloilo City, Kalibo in Aklan, and Manila.
But we can do even more to promote travels between our two countries and to third-country destinations.
Singapore looks forward to the next round of air talks with the Philippines to expand our bilateral air-services agreement.
What can the Philippines learn from Singapore, being a progressive state?
Actually, there is much to learn from each other. We may be different in terms of size and culture, but after three years and a bit in the Philippines, I have seen that we share many similarities as well, particularly in the important roles that family and friends play in our lives, as well as our common love of good food.
I am always touched by the warm hospitality and friendship shown by Filipinos I encounter during my travels for work and leisure.
Another characteristic that stood out is the people’s resilience. During his state visit to the Philippines in April 2014, Singapore’s former President Tony Tan (went) to Tacloban City in the aftermath of Supertyphoon Yolanda. He was impressed by the people’s indomitable spirit as they worked to rehabilitate their hometowns from the destruction.
When I visited Tacloban myself two years later, I was impressed by the progress that had been made in the rehabilitation work.
Much is written about the youth dividend of the Philippines, and I am very impressed by the efforts of the government and the private sector to invest resources in the education and nurturing of young Filipinos. Just as Singapore endeavors to give young Singaporeans the best possible start in life, the Philippines is doing the same.
I hope that our youth will build strong links of friendship with each other, as well as with other countries in the region (by forging) a common determination to keep all citizens on the path of peace, progress and prosperity.
Image credits: Jimbo Albano