Welcome Address by President S R Nathan at reception to meet Singapore Community, Shangri-La Makati Ballroom on 14 Februrary 2007

Ladies and Gentlemen,

My wife and I are very happy to be here this evening to meet with so many of you, fellow Singaporeans, as well as friends of Singapore in the Philippines.

2 We currently have more than 140,000 Singaporeans living outside Singapore. This is something that we can be proud of, for it shows that Singaporeans are increasingly finding opportunities in places where their skills are in demand. I am glad that all of you here have seized the opportunities in this country and chosen to live and bond with the people of this country.

3 I am sure you, who are overseas, often think of home. Fortunately the Philippines is only 3 to 4 hours away and with good telecommunications contact with home is not too difficult. But there is no place like home. It is where we will always be welcomed and where we can draw support from our families and friends. It is therefore very important that wherever you are in the world, you make the effort to stay connected to those of us back in Singapore. You are and will always be very much a part of the Singapore family.

4 On the part of the Singapore Government, it has over the years made it easier for Singaporeans overseas to retain their links to Singapore. The setting up of the Overseas Singaporean Unit (OSU) is one such effort. It was launched in March 2006 as a one-stop centre to keep overseas Singaporeans connected with Singapore. The OSU works with other government agencies as well as the private and people sectors to link you up with Singaporeans in Singapore and elsewhere. For example, the launch of the Overseas Singaporean Portal last August has allowed overseas Singaporeans to maintain contact with one another and keep themselves abreast of news and developments in Singapore. The portal also provides overseas Singaporeans with information on relocation services and facilities provided by various government agencies, as well as job opportunities in Singapore and the region. Without being in Singapore, overseas Singaporeans can still easily find out what is happening at home. For instance, I am sure many Singaporean football enthusiasts abroad would have found out from the portal how Singapore fought hard to win the ASEAN Football Championship last week.

5 Apart from the OSU, there are other useful networks available, such as the Singapore-Philippines Association (SPA). I strongly encourage you to keep in touch with the Singaporean community here through the SPA. This association, and every one of you here, also have the important role of enhancing and promoting understanding and friendship between the peoples of our two countries. I urge you to fly our flag high in the Philippines and do your best to benefit your host country even as you live and work here.

6 Singapore's relations with the Philippines are excellent. We have frequent high-level government engagement, and economic relations are growing stronger by the day. During this visit, I will be witnessing a ground-breaking ceremony for a major investment made by Ascendas - the Net Commercial Development Project. I will also be attending the 10th anniversary celebrations of the Carmelray Industrial Park II in Laguna Province, which is a joint venture project between Ascendas and its Filipino partner.

7 Cultural and people-to-people exchanges between Singapore and the Philippines have also strengthened in recent years. Amongst the guests here this evening are several Filipino alumni of the Singapore Cooperation Programme and the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy Master's in Public Management Programme. I would also like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the valuable contributions of Senator Richard Gordon as the Honorary Patron of the Singapore Cooperation Programme Alumni. I look forward to speaking to some of you later to learn more about your experiences while in Singapore and what we can do to further strengthen the bonds you have built with Singapore and that which binds our two countries together.

Thank you.

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