The embassy, led by Charge d’ Affaires, a.i. Emmanuel R. Fernandez, participates in Asia’s biggest aerospace and defense exhibition.

THE Philippine Embassy in Singapore, under the leadership of Charge d’ Affaires, a.i. Emmanuel R. Fernandez, joined other Philippine government officials in attending the 9th Singapore Airshow, Asia’s largest aerospace and defense exhibition, held at the Changi Exhibition Center from 20 to 25 February 2024.

This year’s Singapore Airshow marks the return of a full-scale, in-person event, attracting around 50,000 trade attendees and over 1,000 aviation and defense companies from 50 countries, including industry giants such as Airbus, Boeing, and Lockheed Martin. An additional 60,000 visitors are expected during the public days on 24 and 25 February.

During the Opening Ceremony on 19 February, Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies, Mr. Heng Swee Keat, highlighted the strong global rebound of the aviation and aerospace industries despite the challenges posed by COVID-19. He noted that international passenger traffic is almost back to pre-pandemic levels and new aircraft orders have hit a 5-year high of 3,850. Singapore aims to play a key role in transforming these industries, focusing on supply chain resilience, sustainability, and talent development. Initiatives such as the Aviation Sustainability Programme and the Singapore Sustainable Air Hub Blueprint are part of this commitment, to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 and promote sustainable aviation fuels.

The Philippine delegation at the Airshow included representatives from the Department of National Defense, the Department of Transportation (DoTr), the Philippine Senate, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Philippine Air Force, and the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA). They visited booths showcasing products from various global businesses. They watched demonstrations by the air forces of Singapore, India, the United States, South Korea, China, Indonesia, and Australia, as well as some international civil airlines.

The Singapore Airshow serves as a platform for stakeholders to collaborate, exchange ideas, and identify opportunities for innovation and partnership in driving the future growth and connectivity of the aviation and aerospace industries.

On 20 February 2024, Philippine Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista led the opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony of the Philippine Pavilion, marking the country’s debut at the exhibition. The theme, “One PH Aviation: Together We Fly”, emphasized unity and collaboration. The Philippine Pavilion was supported by the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP) in cooperation with the Department of Transportation (DOTr), BCDA, Clark International Airport Corporation (CIAC), Aviation Association (AsBAA), and Berthaphil.

During the Airshow, Philippine Embassy officials witnessed the signing ceremony for the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Joint Collaboration for Smart City Solutions in the Philippines between Filinvest Corporation of the Philippines and ST Engineering, a Singaporean multinational technology company in the aerospace, smart city, defense, and public security sectors.

Source: Philippine Embassy in Singapore