The RSS Endeavour, an Endurance Class Landing Ship Tank (LST) fully designed and built in Singapore, made a goodwill visit to the Philippines from 13 to 16 Feb. 13 to 16, 2025. This is the first time in 26 years that a Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) vessel has called at the port of Manila. RSN vessels have called regularly at other ports in the Philippines. This visit of RSS Endeavour is part of the Midshipman Sea Training Deployment (MSTD) program, where Singaporean midshipmen have been putting what they have learnt into practice during their maiden voyage. During the visit, the RSN midshipmen interacted with their counterparts from the Philippine Navy through various activities, including sports.
To mark the occasion of the port call, and to reaffirm Singapore’s strong bilateral relations with the Philippines, the RSS Endeavour hosted a reception on Friday Feb. 14, 2025, for more than 100 guests from the Philippine Armed Forces, the Philippine government, the diplomatic community, as well as the Singaporean community in the Philippines. Guests were treated to an array of Singaporean cuisine and lively performances by both Singapore and Philippine navy personnel. The event was presided by Deputy Commander of the Maritime Training and Doctrine Command Colonel Wong Chng Tong and Commanding Officer Lieutenant Colonel Wong Ka Ming. The event was also graced by Singapore Ambassador to the Philippines Constance See Sin Yuan and the Philippine Navy’s Commander of the Sealift Amphibious Force Commodore Ireneo Battung.
In her remarks at the event, Ambassador See highlighted the robust and growing partnership between Singapore and the Philippines. Both countries commemorated the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2024. There is strong cooperation in many areas such as trade, investment, labor, education, culture, and biodiversity conservation. In particular, Ambassador See said that the bilateral defense relationship has made significant strides in the past two years. Singapore and the Philippines signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Defense Cooperation in July 2024, which built on the 2023 Agreement concerning the conduct of education, training assistance and support activities on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. This was timely as the Singapore Armed Forces contributed to the relief operations after Severe Tropical Storm Kristine hit the Philippines in October 2024. The Republic of Singapore Air Force deployed a C-130 transport aircraft which flew 16 sorties and delivered 70 tones of emergency supplies to affected communities. Ambassador See expressed delight at the strengthening military- to- military engagement between Singapore and the Philippines.
Ambassador See noted that Singapore would celebrate its 60 years of independence in 2025 and highlighted three themes that remained relevant as fundamental tenets of Singapore’s foreign policy. First, as a small country, international law was critical for Singapore. As a country whose trade was three times more than its GDP, freedom of navigation and over flight are extremely important principles of international law for Singapore. “The Philippines is a like-minded country that respects and promotes international law,” said Ambassador See, stating that Singapore was happy to “work with the Philippines, as well as other ASEAN Member States, and regional and international partners, to continue to uphold international law.”
Second, peace and stability has been, and will continue to be, the basis of the region’s growth and development. Ambassador See stressed that it is “imperative that all countries work together to resolve any differences through dialogue and diplomacy.” Third, ASEAN remains the cornerstone of Singapore’s foreign policy, and it is important for countries in the region to work together to ensure that the region is well-equipped to effectively tackle the complex challenges facing the region. “The RSS Endeavour’s visit to a fellow founding member of ASEAN was a testament to both countries’ commitment to ASEAN centrality and unity,” added Ambassador See, as she reiterated Singapore’s support for the Philippines’ ASEAN Chairmanship in 2026.
