PRESS RELEASE
PR-096-2024
SINGAPORE 9 September 2024 – In observance of the Maritime and Archipelagic Nation Awareness Month (MANA Mo) this September, the Philippine Embassy in Singapore, on 7 September 2024, organized educational tours for its personnel and their families, of two galleries which showcase Singapore’s commitment to innovation and sustainability: the Singapore Maritime Gallery, which highlights the nation’s maritime heritage and advancements and the Sustainable Singapore Gallery; and the Sustainable Singapore Gallery, which focuses on focusing on environmental conservation and sustainable development efforts.
Learning about maritime heritage, innovation and sustainability
During the tour of the Singapore Maritime Gallery, the participants explored the history and development of Singapore’s maritime industry, as well as cutting-edge technologies employed to ensure the safety, security, and sustainability of its waters. They also learned about port development, shipbuilding, maritime trade and connectivity..
At the Sustainable Singapore Gallery, the Philippine Embassy personnel explored Singapore’s innovative sustainability initiatives, particularly those related to climate change mitigation, clean energy, and marine environment protection. These efforts are in line with the Philippines’ own environmental policies and its commitment to promoting sustainability as a key pillar of national development.
The Philippines and Singapore as maritime nations
As maritime nations, both the Philippines and Singapore share a deep connection to the sea, with their economies, cultures, and histories heavily shaped by their strategic positions and rich maritime resources. The two countries also recognize the importance of safe, secure and open passage of global trade.
As an archipelagic state, the Philippines’s fate is tied to the world’s ocean and seas, just as its economy is tied to the global fisheries sector, the global value chain in shipbuilding, and global seafaring and maritime labor. The Philippines is composed of more than 7,000 islands with more than 14,000 coastal communities highly dependent on marine resources for living.
Singapore, on the other hand, is considered as one of the world’s busiest ports, having connected to 600 ports globally and home to more than 170 international shipping groups and maritime-related businesses. Many shipping vessels pass through Singapore’s ports for trade, refueling and or repair of ships.
The Philippines, as an archipelago located in the Pacific Ring of Fire, and Singapore, a low-lying state, are highly vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change. As such, both countries are actively committed to addressing climate change, implementing policies that promote sustainability, renewable energy, and resilience against environmental impacts.
This visit to the two galleries is one of many activities marking the 55th year of strong diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Singapore. Over the decades, both nations have maintained robust partnerships in trade, defense, culture, and people-to-people exchanges, with maritime cooperation being one of the cornerstones of this enduring relationship.
A call to our kababayans
The Philippine Embassy enjoins kababayans in Singapore to visit the Singapore Maritime Gallery and discover how Maritime Singapore embraces innovation, technology and sustainability to secure Singapore’s connectivity to the world and its status as a leading maritime city. The Sustainable Singapore Gallery is free and open to the public. The gallery showcases Singapore’s climate action plan, water story, energy and sustainability efforts to achieve its sustainable agenda by 2030.
The Philippines observes the Maritime and Archipelagic Nation Awareness Month (MANA Mo) by virtue of Presidential Proclamation 316, signed by President Duterte on 14 September 2017. This year’s theme is “Pamana ng Karagatan: Para sa Kinabukasan, Ating Ingatan”. END
