Embassy officials provided updates on consular services, labour matters, welfare programmes, and community activities.
The Philippine Embassy in Singapore held its Third Quarter Ugnayan: Bagong Pilipinas Townhall Meeting on 24 September 2026, with around 70 Filipino community leaders and representatives attending the session. The meeting provided updates on consular initiatives, overseas voting, labour matters, migrant worker welfare, housing programmes and upcoming community activities, while giving participants an opportunity to exchange information on matters concerning Filipinos in Singapore.
Consul General Joyleen E. Santos opened the townhall with updates on recent initiatives and activities of the Office of the Consul General and the Public Diplomacy Section. She encouraged members of the Filipino community to regularly read and follow Embassy advisories and reminded participants of Singapore’s new regulations concerning public buses and bus terminals and interchanges.
Second Secretary and Consul Renee Gayle M. Chua provided an overview of Singapore’s Law to Safeguard Social Cohesion, which took effect on 15 September 2026. She also highlighted upcoming activities for Philippine Creative Industries Month. On overseas voting, Consul Chua noted that the Philippine Embassy in Singapore received two commendation certificates recognising the Post as the second top-performing Philippine Foreign Service Post in the Asia-Pacific region for the highest number of approved overseas voter registration applications received.
Labour Attaché Haney Siclot of the Migrant Workers Office (MWO) provided reminders to Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) concerning the application and renewal of Overseas Employment Certificates (OECs). She also cautioned OFWs against misuse of Training Employment Passes (TEPs), violations of work permit conditions and submission of false declarations in work permit applications.
OWWA Welfare Officer Jay Teves thanked the Filipino community for its support for the successful conduct of the OFW Caravan in September. He provided updates on the OWWA e-Card, Education for Development Scholarship Program and Congressional Migrant Workers Scholarship Program, as well as the opening of OWWA’s third OFW Lounge at Clark International Airport. He also announced the upcoming Agribiz programme in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture – Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service (DA-AMAS).
Pag-IBIG Fund representative Christian Oliveros shared updates on housing loan programmes and Pag-IBIG Acquired Assets available for sale, while Filipino community organisations shared information on their upcoming activities.
The quarterly Ugnayan: Bagong Pilipinas Townhall Meeting provides a platform for information-sharing, dialogue and engagement between the Philippine Embassy and the Filipino community in Singapore.
Source: Philippine Embassy in Singapore
