Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong warmly congratulated President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on the Philippines’ official transition to an upper-middle-income country (UMIC), calling it a testament to the resilience and stability of the Philippine economy despite global economic headwinds.
The commendation was extended during a bilateral meeting between the two leaders at the Istana on Wednesday, held as part of President Marcos’s working visit to Singapore from July 14 to 16.
According to the latest income classifications released by the World Bank, the Philippines successfully reached UMIC status after generating a Gross National Income (GNI) per capita of USD 4,850—surpassing the World Bank’s USD 4,636 threshold.
Speaking at a press briefing in Malacañang, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary Claire Castro highlighted Prime Minister Wong’s praise for the nation’s economic trajectory. “Prime Minister Wong noted that achieving upper-middle-income status reflects respectable and stable growth for the Philippines, especially against the backdrop of challenges stemming from conflicts in the Middle East,” Castro said.
President Marcos affirmed that reaching this economic benchmark serves as clear validation that the administration’s strategic economic policies over the past four years are delivering concrete results. He emphasized that the milestone represents a strong vote of confidence in the nation’s economic future, paving the way for increased foreign investment, expanded business operations, higher-quality job creation, and broader opportunities for the Filipino people.
In addition to economic development, the bilateral discussions touched on cultural and athletic achievements in Southeast Asia. Prime Minister Wong expressed his congratulations to 21-year-old Filipino tennis star Alex Eala following her historic performance at the 2026 Wimbledon Championships, where she defeated defending champion Iga Swiatek of Poland (7-6(9), 6-2) in the third round.
Castro noted that both leaders expressed deep admiration for Eala’s contributions to bringing pride to the region, with Prime Minister Wong sharing his optimism that Eala could become the first athlete from Southeast Asia to secure a Grand Slam singles title at Wimbledon—a sentiment strongly echoed by President Marcos.
The meeting concluded with both heads of state reaffirming their commitment to further strengthening the diplomatic, economic, and cultural ties between Singapore and the Philippines.
