Our State Visit to Singapore and participation in the World Economic Forum for East Asia comes at a time when investments are at an all-time high, and the mid-term elections reflected the people’s will.

A few months ago, we announced that Texas Instruments would make a billion-dollar investment in the Philippines. Recently, Tokyo Electric and Marubeni declared that they are also making a four-billion dollar investment, making it the largest Japanese investment in Philippine history. These big investments signify that the Philippines is back and open for business. Our democracy is a proven fact; our economic growth is a work in progress. On both counts, the Filipino has shown the ability to stay the course by working hard and believing in the country’s future.

On this trip to Singapore, we will be meeting with President Nathan and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. We will personally thank them for Singapore’s hospitality to more than a hundred thousand overseas Filipino workers. We shall also meet business and financial leaders from around the region to share the Philippine story and assure them that our stronger peso, stable financial markets, and vibrant democracy make us the best value in Asia.

We will bear this story of hope and optimism with us as we join a select group of global leaders at the World Economic Forum on East Asia. This Forum will tackle the region’s industry, economic and political agendas. The industry agenda will focus on a new generation of East Asian multinationals and the impact of cross-border investments, while the economic agenda will examine the durability of East Asia’s growth in the face of emerging global risks.

In both agendas, the voice of the Philippines shall be heard not as a passive bystander but as a fierce and relentless competitor in the global and regional markets, with clear competitive advantages in the IT/BPO sector, in tourism, and human resource development.

For the ASEAN’s 40th anniversary, the political agenda will center on its evolving regional architecture and relationships with strategic partners such as India, Russia, and the United States.

We shall also have our usual interaction with members of the Filipino community. They will learn first-hand about the legacy that my administration intends to build and offer at the altar of history.

From Singapore, we will proceed to Equatorial Guinea.

Friendship between the two countries grew with the state visit to the Philippines of President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo in May 2006.   We shall engage Equatorial Guinea bilaterally and multilaterally through mutual support of each other’s initiatives in the international community. Our countries have a shared agenda of defeating poverty through the New Asia-Africa Strategic Partnership (NAASP) and the UN.

Equatorial Guinea hosts some 2,500 overseas Filipino workers stationed in its oil fields and construction sites as well as other workplaces. This will be a good occasion to visit them and ensure that they are treated well by their employers.

The Philippines is a fierce and relentless competitor in the global and regional markets, with clear competitive advantages in information technology, business process outsourcing (IT/BPO), tourism and human resource development sectors.

This is how President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo – who left for Singapore via Philippine Airlines (PAL) commercial flight PR501 at 3 p.m. today – is expected to picture the Philippines to the World Economic Forum for East Asia (WEF-EA) that will tackle the region’s industry, economic and political agendas in Singapore tomorrow, Sunday.

At 8 p.m. today (Saturday), President Arroyo will have dinner with co-chairs of WEF-EA at the State Room of Shangri-La Hotel.

Tomorrow morning (Sunday), she will deliver a speech to open the World Economic Forum for East Asia at the Island Ballroom, Tower Wing, Shangri-La Hotel.

On Sunday afternoon, from 2 to 4 p.m., the President will meet with the Filipino community in Singapore composed mostly of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) at the Convention Hall 602, Level 6, Suntec Convention Center.

On Monday (June 25) at 4:15-5:15 p.m., the President will have a coffee meeting with the Philippines-Singapore Business Council at the Straits Room, 4/F Fullerton Hotel.

In the evening, a state dinner will be hosted in her honor by Singaporean President S.R. Nathan at the Banquet Hall, Istana, from 7-8:30 p.m.

In a pre-departure statement issued by Malacanang, the Singapore-bound Chief Executive stressed that in all the forum agenda, the Philippines "shall be heard not as a passive bystander but as a relentless competitor…"

The President stressed that the country is joining the WEF-EA "at a time when investments are at an all-time high…"

She recalled that not long after the Philippines has garnered Texas Instruments’ $1-billion investment, two Japanese companies – Tokyo Electric and Marubeni – declared that they are also "making a four-billion-dollar investment, making it the largest Japanese investment in Philippine history."

"These big investments signify that the Philippines is back and open for business. Our democracy is a proven fact, our economic growth is a work in progress (and) on both counts, the Filipino has shown the ability to stay the course by working hard and believing in the country’s future," the President enthused.

The forum’s industry agenda shall focus on a new generation of East Asian multinationals and the impact of cross-border investments; the economic agenda shall examine the durability of East Asia’s growth in the face of emerging global risks; while the political agenda shall center on its evolving regional architecture and relationships with strategic partners such as India, Russia and the United States.

The President -- who will be feted to a state visit by the Republic of Singapore Monday -- added that in her meeting with Singapore President Nathan and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, she will also "personally thank them for Singapore’s hospitality to more than a hundred thousand overseas Filipino workers."

The Chief Executive also announced that she will be sharing the Philippine story to the business and financial leaders from around the region with whom she will be meeting, by assuring them that the country’s stronger peso, stable financial markets and vibrant democracy under her administration "make us the best value in Asia."

Wearing a formal black pant suit ensemble, the President was seen off at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Centennial Terminal II by Vice President Noli de Castro, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita and Singapore Ambassador to the Philippines Lim Kheng Hua, Armed Forces Chief Hermogenes Esperon and other top military officials, and Police Chief Oscar Calderon.

The President will leave Singapore early Tuesday morning (June 26) via chartered PAL flight PR001 for a historic one-day state visit to the Republic of Equatorial Guinea in Western Africa.

Her visit to the tiny but oil-rich African country is upon the invitation of President Obiang Nguema Mbasogo who made a four-day state visit to the Philippines on May 19-23, 2006.

SINGAPORE (via PLDT) -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo arrived at Singapore’s Changi International Airport at 6:25 p.m. today for a one-day state visit and to attend the two-day World Economic Forum on East Asia 2007.

The President is accompanied by a lean official delegation led by House Speaker Jose de Venecia, Jr., Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo, Trade and Industry Secretary Peter Favila, Administrator Marianito Roque of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, and International Board of Advisors Executive Director Roberto Romulo as well as a 24-member business delegation.

From the airport, the President, who was welcomed by Singaporean Minister of State, Finance and Transportation Lim Hwee Hua, was immediately whisked to the Fullerton Hotel where she is billeted.

After a few minutes’ rest, the President met with Maurice Amon, chairman of SICPA Holdings, at Suite 565 Valley Wing, Shangri-La Hotel.

SICPA Holdings is a leading worldwide provider of security inks and systems. It has been active in the Philippines for the past 28 years, providing inks, technology and knowhow to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

After her brief meeting with Amon, the President attended a dinner with the co-chairs of the World Economic Forum (WEF) on East Asia 2007 at the State Room of the Shangri-La Hotel where she delivered a speech.

WEF is an independent international organization committed to improving the state of the world by engaging leaders in partnerships to shape global, regional and industry agendas. Incorporated as a foundation in 1971, it is based in Geneva, Switzerland.

This year’s WEF co-chairs include Carlos Ghosn, president and chief executive officer of Renault, France, and president and chief executive officer of Nissan, Japan; E. Neville Isdell, chairman and chief executive officer of the Coca-Cola Company, USA; Jim Goodnight, chief executive officer of SAS Institute, USA; K.V. Kamath, managing director and chief executive officer, ICICI Bank Ltd. of India; and James T. Riady, chief executive officer of Lippo Group of Companies.

The President capped her first day activities here by meeting with Ghosn, who called on her at Suite 656 Valley Wing of the Shangri-La Hotel.

The Renault-Nissan Alliance was signed on March 27, 1999 to become a unique group of two global companies united for performance through a coherent common strategy goals. It ranks among the world’s leading four automakers.

On Sunday, June 24, the President will deliver her speech during the opening ceremonies of the two-day (June 24-25) WEF on East Asia which has for its theme, "The Leadership Imperative for an Asian Century."

After addressing the WEF’s opening rites, the President will attend a Eucharistic celebration and meet with the Filipino community at the Suntec Convention Center here.

Suntec Singapore, which is situated in the Central Business District of Singapore, is a world-renowned, international venue that has the perfect location for meetings, conventions and exhibitions.

Later in the evening, the President will attend a reception hosted by Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the Istana.

On Monday, June 25, the President will start her one-day state visit to Singapore with welcome ceremonies befitting a head of state at the Istana grounds. This will be followed by the traditional signing of the Visitor’s Book and a meeting with Singaporean President S.R. Nathan.

Istana is the official residence and office of the President of Singapore.

President Arroyo will likewise meet with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the Presidential Suite of the Fullerton Hotel. She will have another meeting with the Singaporean leader over lunch at Fullerton Hotel’s Strait Room.

After the call of Maersk officials at around mid-afternoon, the President will deliver a speech before businessmen at the coffee party of the Philipines-Singapore Business Council.

A state dinner hosted by President Nathan at the Banquet Hall of the Istana will conclude the President’s state visit in Singapore.