PR-044-2024
(23 April 2024, Singapore) Around 30 participants from the Philippines, consisting of officials and technical staff from the Philippine Senate and House of Representatives, are currently in Singapore to participate in the International Learning Course (ILC) on Public Policy and Public Sector Leadership (2024 Emerging Leaders of the Appropriations and Finance Committee), organized by the Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP) and the National University of Singapore – Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (NUS-LKYSPP).
The weeklong learning course, which runs from 21 to 26 April 2023, is a program under the DAP’s Capability Building on Innovative Leadership for Legislative Staff (CBILLS) Program, a partnership between the DAP and the Philippine Legislature which aims to strengthen the leadership, management, and technical skills of the members of the Philippine Congress, its officers, and staff through capacity-building interventions.
The ILC participants, led by its Mission Leader and Executive Director for Legislation at the Philippine Senate, Atty. Czarina Grace Serrano as well as DAP Vice President of the Center of Governance Ms. Imelda Caluen, paid a courtesy call on Philippine Ambassador to Singapore Medardo G. Macaraig at the Philippine Embassy on 21 April 2024.
In his welcome remarks, Ambassador Macaraig shared the highlights of the recent successful visit to the Philippines of Singapore Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan, which demonstrates the strength, vibrancy and dynamism of Philippines-Singapore relationship, which spans 55 years since its establishment on 16 May 2024. He also provided a brief overview of Philippines-Singapore bilateral relations, highlighting the positive achievements of the relationship in recent years and its prospects for growth. The Ambassador encouraged the participants to seize every opportunity to engage with their counterparts, absorb as much knowledge as possible, and forge lasting connections that will benefit both the Philippines and Singapore in the years to come.
Also providing their remarks during the courtesy call were Atty. Serrano and Ms. Caluen, who provided an overview of the DAP and its CBILLS program.
Ambassador Macaraig also fielded questions from the participants on issues concerning the situation of Filipinos in Singapore, the state of Philippines’ relations with Singapore and other ASEAN countries, and challenges faced by the Embassy and its personnel in the performance of their duties. (END).
