08 Sep 2019
President Halimah Yacob made a State Visit to the Philippines from 8 to 12 September 2019 at the invitation of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, and in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Singapore and the Philippines. During the five-day visit, President Halimah visited both Manila and Davao City.
In Manila, President Halimah was received by President Duterte at the Malacañang Palace for a ceremonial welcome followed by a call on President Duterte, an expanded bilateral meeting with the officials, and a State Banquet. Both Presidents witnessed the exchange of eight MOUs that covered areas of mutual interest, including infrastructure development, water resource management, skills training and education cooperation, agri-trade, arts and culture, and data protection. President Halimah also met with the Philippines-Singapore Business Council members, witnessed the opening of BDO-Keppel’s Podium Office Tower and visited Singaporium, a lifestyle and food pop-up organised by Enterprise Singapore featuring home-grown Singapore brands. President Halimah also attended a reception for the overseas Singaporean community based in Manila.
In Davao City, President Halimah was hosted to dinner by Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio. She visited the Philippine Eagle Centre, which had cared for a pair of critically endangered Philippine Eagles that are currently in Singapore’s Jurong Bird Park under a 10-year breeding loan agreement between the Philippines’ Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS). President Halimah also participated in an inter-faith dialogue session with youths, hosted by the Al Qalam Institute for Islamic Identities and Dialogue in Southeast Asia at Ateneo de Davao University.
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