Your Excellency Lin Kheng Hua, Ambassador of Singapore to the Philippines;
Papal Nuncio and Dean of the Diplomatic Corps H.E. Msgr. Antonio Franco;
Excellencies of the diplomatic and consular corps;
My colleagues in government;
Distinguished guests;
Ladies and gentlemen:

On behalf of Her Excellency President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and the Filipino people, I extend my warmest congratulations to the government and people of the Republic of Singapore as they celebrate the 40th anniversary of their independence.

In the life of a nation, as in the life of a human being, the 40th year is a kind of landmark.  It is an age where one could look behind and there find enough achievements to say that one has made it, and at the same time look ahead and there see enough opportunities to say that the best is yet to come.  No wonder there are those who say that life begins at 40.

What Singapore has achieved over the last four decades is nothing short of amazing.  Not least, it has secured a level of regional and global influence that belies its physical size.  We have seen this to be true, as a longtime neighbor, friend a partner of Singapore.

Tonight , I am pleased to note the healthy and dynamic state of our bilateral relations with Singapore.  Just recently, nine bright young Filipinos commenced their undergraduate studies in Singapore under the Singapore Scholarship Program, bringing to 60 the total number of Filipino beneficiaries of the grant.  Many more Filipinos have been able to upgrade their skills in various fields under the Singapore Cooperation Program.

This April, flights between the Philippines and Singapore were launched by Singaporean budget airlines, paving the way for increased people-to-people exchanges.

And of course, Singapore continues to be one of the Philippines’ biggest trading partners and investors, and its largest trading partner and investor from within ASEAN.  In 2004, Philippine exports to Singapore amounted to $2.63 billion while Singapore exports to the Philippine reached $3.08 billion.  In the first three quarters of 2004, the Board of Investments approved 608.6 million pesos worth of foreign direct investments from Singapore.

Singapore’s relations with ASEAN are similarly robust.  As one of its founders and among the most visionary of its members, Singapore will continue to play a vital role in keeping ASEAN relevant and forward-looking.

Furthermore, Singapore has been tireless in urging the region to look beyond itself, as demonstrated by its hosting this June of the inaugural Asia-Middle East Dialogue.

This active bilateral, regional and global engagement has earned this 40-year-old republic an esteemed place in the community of nations.

On this note, I invite Your Excellencies, friends, ladies and gentlemen, to join me in a toast:

To the good health and continued success of Their Excellencies President S.R. Nathan and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong;

To the continued prosperity of the people of Singapore; and

To the enduring ties of friendship between the Philippine and Singapore.

Mabuhay!  END