(Photo by PIA)
MANILA – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. arrived in Singapore on Wednesday for a working visit highlighted by his participation in the International Institute for Strategic Studies Shangri-La Dialogue, where he is expected to present the Philippines’ position on regional security, diplomacy and a rules-based international order.
Marcos said his keynote address at the defense and security forum is significant as geopolitical tensions continue to affect the Philippines and the wider Indo-Pacific region.
“The fact that they asked the Philippine President to come and speak on that very subject is significant in the sense that it is a recognition that there are challenges that are facing the Philippines, specifically,” Marcos said in an interview in Brunei before traveling to Singapore.
He said his address would outline the Philippines’ legal, geopolitical and diplomatic positions and discuss possible ways forward for the country and the region.
Marcos also underscored the importance of the West Philippine Sea to international commerce, noting that developments in the area have implications beyond Southeast Asia and the Indo-Pacific.
He said the sea lane has become increasingly important to the global economy, making the Philippines’ position relevant to policymakers and stakeholders worldwide.
The President traveled to Singapore after completing a two-day state visit to Brunei Darussalam.
During his two-day working visit, Marcos is scheduled to deliver the keynote address at the Shangri-La Dialogue, which brings together heads of government, defense ministers, security officials and industry representatives from around 40 countries.
The forum is considered one of the region’s major platforms for discussing defense, security and strategic issues in the Indo-Pacific.
Marcos is also expected to hold a series of high-level meetings with Singaporean officials during the visit.
The trip comes as the Philippines and Singapore continue to strengthen bilateral relations, which were formally established in May 1969.
