Business RTD with H.E Tharman Shanmugaratnam,
the President of the Republic of Singapore

16 August 2024 – The President of the Republic of Singapore, His Excellency Tharman Shanmugaratnam attended the business roundtable co-organized by MBC and Asia Society Philippines at the Ayala Museum, Makati City.

MBC Trustees Lito Tayag and Ambassador Jose Cuisia Jr. joined other business attendees, which include Ayala Corporation Director Fernando Zobel de Ayala, Alliance Global Group CEO Kevin Tan, and former PSBC Chairman and ICCP Group Chairman Guilly Luchangco.

“[President Tharman’s] visit underscores the value that Singapore puts on strengthening relations not only with our government, but also with the private sector. As we celebrate fifty-five years of bilateral diplomatic relations, we offer our help and support in ushering this period of warmer relations between both of our countries.” said MBC Chairman Edgar Chua during his Welcome Remarks.

The event was moderated by PSBC Chairman and MBC Vice Chairman Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, “inclusive growth is vitally important to the Philippines at a time when there is a large disparity of income and a great degree of opportunities for people to move up the economic chain, so to speak, in a way that we can all help as business groups.”

MBC Trustees Riza Mantaring, Ramon del Rosario, Dr. Aris Alip, and Doris Magsaysay-Ho shared an overview of the Philippines’ economic landscape and its strong ties with Singapore, particularly in the areas of agriculture, workforce development and financial inclusion. Notable presenters also include Century Pacific Food Chairman Chris Po and Globe Telecom President and CEO Ernest Cu.

Doris Magsaysay-Ho, who also sits as Chair of the Asia Society Philippines delivered the Closing Remarks, “Thank you, [President Tharman] for sharing your profound thoughts on the challenges faced by humanity, and the need to reframe the narrative required all of us to invest in higher levels to ensure inclusive growth.”

The event was co-organized with the Asia Society Philippines, and supported by the Ayala Museum, Grab Philippines, MISC, Shopee Philippines, and ST Telemedia.

MBC is the secretariat of the Philippines-Singapore Business Council, which aims to facilitate engagements between the Philippines and Singapore to promote bilateral business opportunities, ideas, and policies that support an innovative and competitive economy.