Two years after Singapore’s independence on 9 August 1965, the Philippine Government opened a Consulate in Singapore. It was later raised to the status of an embassy in 1971.
Long before the formal establishment of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Singapore on 16 May 1969, both countries shared historical and cultural linkages and bilateral engagements.
Since 1966, following are the Philippine Government’s official representatives/Ambassadors to Singapore:
- Amb. Tomas C. Benitez (1966 to 1967)
- Amb. Delfin R. Garcia (1971-1978)
- Amb. Privado G. Jimenez (1978-1985)
- Amb. Francisco L. Benedicto (1986-1993)
- Amb. Alicia C. Ramos (1993- 1996)
- Amb. Alberto A. Encomienda (1996-1998)
- Amb. Jesus I. Yabes (1999-2002)
- Amb. Ernesto V. Llamas (2002- 2003)
- Amb. Belen F. Anota (2004-2008)
- Amb. Minda Calaguian-Cruz (2008-2014)
- Amb. Antonio A. Morales (2014- 2017)
- Amb. Joseph del Mar Yap (2018-2022)
The Philippine Embassy is currently headed by Ambassador Medardo G. Macaraig, a career diplomat who arrived on 1 February 2023. He presented his credentials before then President of the Republic of Singapore, H.E. Halimah Yacob on 14 February 2023.
The Embassy manages the overall advancement of Philippine interests in the Republic of Singapore. Aside from the DFA, there are other government agencies within the Embassy providing support and assistance-to-nationals abroad, namely, the Department of National Defense (DND), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Migrant Workers (DWM), Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), Social Security System (SSS) and Pag-IBIG Fund.
The Chancery
The Chancery, measuring more than 1,600 square meters of land, was acquired by the Philippine Government in January 1980. The original structure was a 2-storey detached residential house and had a floor area of approximately 340 square meters. It has undergone major renovations and expansions to provide bigger space for the consular area and other offices of the Embassy since 2010.
In 2022, the Philippine Embassy started groundwork for the redevelopment project of the Chancery with a groundbreaking ceremony, graced by former Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin Jr. on 17 June 2022.
Three years later, the project was finally completed. From an old “good class bungalow” to a new and world-class Philippine Chancery, the new building was formally inaugurated on 20 October 2025 by Secretary of Foreign Affairs Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro and Singapore Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan.
Full Embassy operations began on 26 December 2025. The new Chancery, along with the new Sentro Rizal, was formally opened to the Filipino community on 9 January 2026.
