President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. met Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong at the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix on Sunday, at the close of a five-day working visit to the city-state. Wong later posted a photograph of the two leaders seated next to each other at the race.
In a Facebook post on Monday, Wong described the Grand Prix as “a wonderful opportunity to catch up with friends and partners from around the world”. He also congratulated Max Verstappen on his 73rd Formula 1 win. The event drew a large crowd of guests, and the meeting took place on the sidelines rather than in a formal setting.
Before the race, Marcos said his main purpose in attending was to see Wong, along with other guests he hoped to meet. He said the leaders would talk about important matters with others who were present. He added that the weekend had allowed him to meet people he had wanted to engage with for some time, and that his delegation had made useful connections during the trip. Marcos also praised Singapore for turning the race into a wider international gathering, remarking that “Singapore is very clever” for building a full calendar of other events around the race.
Marcos was in Singapore from October 7 to 11. His programme included the 24th Forbes Global CEO Conference and a visit to the Singapore Nuclear Research and Safety Institute. He used the trip to renew his push for nuclear power in the Philippines, an energy source his government has promoted as a way to meet rising electricity demand and cut reliance on imported fuel. The visit to the research institute gave him a first-hand look at how Singapore studies nuclear safety, and he has said he wants the Philippines to work with its neighbour in this area.
The meeting capped a trip in which Marcos sought partners on energy and investment, and he presented the race weekend as a chance to build ties with business leaders and officials from several countries, many of whom had gathered in Singapore for the event. No details have been released of any agreements arising from the Grand Prix meeting itself. The President returned to Manila on Monday, where energy supply and prices remain among the most pressing issues facing his administration.
