Photo Release

Call on SP Zubiri by Singapore Foreign Minister Balakrishnan: On 17 April 2024, Senate President Juan Miguel F. Zubiri, together with Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III and Senators Maria Lourdes Nancy S. Binay and Cynthia A. Villar, received the Foreign Minister of Singapore, His Excellency Vivian Balakrishnan, MP, at the Senate Ceremonial Hall. Celebrating 55 years of diplomatic bilateral relations this year, the discussions emphasized on the strong friendship and cooperation between the Philippines and Singapore. Senate President Zubiri thanked Singapore for hosting and safeguarding the rights of the 200,000 Filipino workers in their country, and for its robust support in various fields, specifically on strategic defense cooperation, and counter-terrorism and intelligence information gathering. Foreign Minister Balakrishnan, for his part, expressed his country’s gratitude to the valuable contributions by the overseas Filipino workers in Singapore. The two sides also discussed the potentials of greater trade and investments, especially in agriculture and transportation. The Senators and the Foreign Minister also agreed that the tensions in the South China Sea must be eased and that greater dialogue and restraint among countries must be encouraged in order to maintain the peace, stability and prosperity of the region. (Office of the International Relations and Protocol)