By Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza, Reporter

PHILIPPINE President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.  met with his Singapore counterpart on Thursday, as they seek to boost ties in the climate agenda and healthcare workforce.

The two nations would sign a deal on carbon credits, in line with the Paris Agreement, he told Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam during their meeting, according to the presidential palace.

The Southeast Asian neighbors will also sign a deal on the recruitment of healthcare workers, he added.

“I note as well that our respective agencies are actively discussing proposed MoUs (memorandum of understanding) in the areas of health and maritime security,” Mr. Marcos said.

The Philippine leader visited Singapore in May to deliver the keynote address at the Shangri-La Security Dialogue, where he alluded to China as a nation that was undermining regional stability.

Mr. Marcos also visited Singapore in September 2023 at the invitation of its former president Halimah Yacob.

Don Mclain Gill, who teaches international relations at De La Salle University in Manila, said the Singaporean leader’s visit comes at a time when the Philippines is boosting security ties with its Southeast Asian neighbors.

He noted that the two nations have signed a defense cooperation agreement, “reflecting their desire to institutionalize and deepen defense collaborations.”

“While Singapore is not a claimant state in the South China Sea dispute, active engagements with maritime Southeast Asian neighbors will complement the Philippines’ goal of creating stronger linkages with immediate neighbors amid China’s expansionism in the region,” he said in a Facebook Messenger chat.

He added that closer ties among Southeast Asian countries would make it “harder for China to pursue its divide-and-conquer approach.”

Mr. Marcos, in his opening remarks, said the Philippines was optimistic about “fostering closer and enhanced cooperation with Singapore” in defense and security, trade and investment, and new areas such as sustainability and energy.

“MoUs in the fields of health and maritime security are already in the pipeline and are anticipated to be finalized in the very near future,” he added.

“There will also be the planned signing of MoUs by Philippine local government units and their Singapore private sector partners,” he said.

“This is also a benchmarking opportunity for Manila under President Marcos to learn from Singapore’s miracle and sustainable economy, upper-middle income economy, world class public transportation and healthy citizens,” Chester B. Cabalza, president at think tank International Development and Security Cooperation, said via Messenger chat.

Meanwhile, Mr. Shanmugaratnam recognized Filipino athlete Carlos Yulo in his meeting with Mr. Marcos, noting that he’s the first person from any Southeast Asian nation to win two Olympic gold medals.

“He is the only athlete from an ASEAN nation who’s had two Olympic golds ever in any sport,” he said.

“It’s a real milestone for all of us. I mean, we shine a bit of the reflected glory of the Philippines,” he added.

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