Engagement highlights the contributions and challenges of over 215,000 Filipinos living and working in Singapore.
The Philippines Embassy in Singapore welcomed a delegation from the Philippine Foreign Service Institute (FSI) on 26 May 2025, as part of the Institute’s 4th Training and Research Outreach (TRO) programme. The delegation, led by FSI Director General Francisco Noel Fernandez III, visited from 26 to 27 May 2025 to engage with Embassy officials and deepen institutional insights into diaspora-related issues.
As a core part of the programme, Embassy officials provided the FSI team with an overview of the Filipino diaspora in Singapore, which numbers approximately 215,000. The country is currently home to one of the largest Filipino communities abroad and ranks as the second highest source of remittances to the Philippines.
In his welcoming remarks, Ambassador Medardo G. Macaraig expressed appreciation for FSI’s decision to select Singapore as the venue for its outreach programme. He highlighted the Filipino community’s important role in both Singaporean society and the Philippine economy. “With their skills, resilience and values, our kababayans in Singapore continue to make meaningful contributions to Singapore society, while remaining deeply connected back home,” he said.
Third Secretary and Vice Consul Renee Gayle M. Chua, who heads the Embassy’s Cultural and Filipino Community Relations Section, shared demographic data and underscored the diversity of the Filipino population in Singapore. She emphasised their significant cultural and economic footprint in the city-state.
Labour Attaché Haney Lynn Siclot and Welfare Officer Florencio Teves III addressed the delegation on labour-related issues and outlined the support mechanisms in place for Filipino workers. These include various services and programmes run by the Migrant Workers Office (MWO) and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), which are dedicated to safeguarding the rights and welfare of migrant Filipinos.
The FSI team also participated in a roundtable discussion at the ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute on 27 May to gain further insights into Singapore’s foreign policy and ASEAN regional dynamics. That evening, Ambassador Macaraig hosted a dinner at the Official Residence in honour of the visiting delegation.
The TRO programme is a cornerstone initiative of FSI, aimed at enhancing its training and research capacity through direct interaction with Philippine foreign service posts and local stakeholders overseas. It reflects the Institute’s commitment to building stronger institutional linkages and preparing its officers for the evolving demands of international diplomacy.
