The official entourage of Singaporean President Nathan and his First Lady, Mrs. S.R. Nathan, arrived at Malacanang’s Courtyard at exactly 5:30 p.m.

President Arroyo, accompanied by First Gentleman Atty. Jose Miguel Arroyo, met the visiting couple as soon as they alighted from their official car.

Looking very much relaxed in a bright red evening dress, the President shook hands with President Nathan and ushered him to the platform fronting a platoon of Presidential Security Group (PSG) honor guards before the welcome ceremony began.

The two Presidents then proceeded to the Saluting Dais. A 21-gun salute boomed in the background as the PSG Band played the national anthems of Singapore and the Philippines in succession.

President Arroyo then led President Nathan in a pass-in-review of the PSG honor guards.

After the welcome ceremonies, the President accompanied Nathan to the second floor of the Palace where the latter signed the Presidential Guestbook at the Reception Hall.

They later proceeded to the Music Room for the "Meeting of the Two Leaders," which was followed by an expanded bilateral meeting.

The President was joined by some of her Cabinet members in welcoming the Singaporean leader. Among them were Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo, Education Secretary Jesli Lapus, Social Welfare Secretary Esperanza Cabral and House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr.

"Singapore’s first world economy presents various opportunities for thousands of Filipinos to further hone their experience and expertise," the President said in her toast at a state dinner Tuesday in honor of visiting Singaporean President S. R. Nathan at the Rizal Hall of Malacaņang.

Among those present were First Gentleman Atty. Jose Miguel Arroyo, Singapore First Lady Urmila Ramanathan, former President Fidel V. Ramos, House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr., Cabinet members, businessmen, and members of the diplomatic corps led by Papal Nuncio Archbishop Fernando Filoni.

The Singapore leader arrived in Manila Tuesday afternoon for a four-day state visit.

Aside from more than four decades of diplomatic relations, the President said the entry of budget airlines and proximity of the two countries to each other has contributed "to the continued cultural, social, and economic development of both Singapore and the Philippines."

Located southwest of the Philippines between Malaysia and Indonesia, Singapore, just some three hours and 15 minutes away by air, is host to more than 130,000 OFWs.

According to the President, the visiting Singaporean leader would also have the chance to see the "flourishing" Singaporean investments in the Philippines when he visits the Carmelray Industrial Park in Laguna on Thursday.

The Singaporean President is also scheduled to visit Fort Bonifacio Global City to witness the groundbreaking of the Ascendas’ Net Commercial Development Project before his return to Singapore on Friday.

During President Arroyo’s state visit to Singapore in 2001, the two countries committed to further expand economic cooperation, particularly in the field of information and communications technology (ICT).

The President’s visit also resulted in various agreements that boosted trade, increased air travel seats and joint tourism promotion between the two countries, and facilitated accreditation of Filipino seafarers for Singaporean vessels.

Previously a usual destination only for Filipino domestic helpers, Singapore has relaxed its policy on hiring foreign workers, paving the way for more skilled OFWs to work in the field of ICT, health care, pharmaceuticals, banking and finance, manufacturing, and construction.

Also during the state banquet last night, President Arroyo said that the Philippines and Singapore, as founding members and incumbent chair and incoming chair, respectively, of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), would strongly push for the establishment of an integrated ASEAN Community by 2015.

"Beyond bilateral relations, Singapore and the Philippines share a valued partnership, particularly in ASEAN. The Philippines and Singapore, as incumbent chair and incoming chair of ASEAN, now have the singular opportunity to move forward for a common goal of an integrated ASEAN Community," the President added.

The President had earlier said the Philippines and Singapore should advance bilateral relations as a component of a larger task of strengthening ASEAN solidarity by strongly promoting and projecting ASEAN as one voice and one collective group in Asia and the larger family of nations.

The Philippines currently chairs the ASEAN. It will turn the chairmanship over to Singapore which will host the 13^th ASEAN Summit in November this year.

"Madame President, this progress reflects your strong leadership and determination to raise the level of economic development in the Philippines, and with it increasing prospects for cooperation," President Nathan said in his reciprocal toast during the state dinner tendered in his honor at the Rizal Hall of Malacaņang.

He noted that the Philippines has been greatly transformed now bustling with economic activity such as the establishment of many new malls including the Mall of Asia, one of the largest in the world.

Nathan said there is potential for further cooperation between Singapore and the Philippines in the tourism sector particularly with the opening of the Clark International Airport to foreign carriers that has offered new opportunities for investors.

According to the Singaporean leader, the entry of budget carriers like Tiger Airways, Jetstar Asia, and Cebu Pacific in the Singapore-Philippine route would further promote tourism between the two countries.

Last year, he said some 81,000 Singaporeans visited the Philippines, reflecting a 59 percent increase from 2005.

"We can and should do more to increase air links between Singapore and Manila while we have the momentum," he said.

Nathan said economic relations between the Philippines and Singapore are strong with bilateral trade hitting a record high of Singaporean $17 billion last year, a 15.8 percent increase from 2005.

"The Philippines was our 13^th largest trading partner while Singapore was your third largest trading partner in 2006," he added.

Nathan said Singapore remains one of the top investors in the country with the Ascott Group and Ascendas recently investing S$84 million and S$224 million, respectively.

On Friday, he said he would witness the groundbreaking of the Ascendas’ Net Commercial Development Project at the Fort Bonifacio Global City.

The Singaporean leader also congratulated the President for the successful holding of the 12^th ASEAN Summit in Cebu last January and skillfull steering of the discussions among the leaders of ASEAN and its dialogue partners such as the establishment of an ASEAN Community by 2015 and drafting of the ASEAN Charter, among others.

"Under your able leadership in Cebu, decisions were taken to help ASEAN meet the challenges posed by globalization and the changing geostrategic-political landscape around our region," he said.

As Singapore takes over the ASEAN chairmanship, Nathan said Singapore would closely work with the Philippines and build on the strong foundation laid out by the President in Cebu.