About 220,000 Filipinos live and work in Singapore, according to the Philippine Embassy's 2026 estimate, which makes it the tenth largest Filipino community anywhere abroad (source). The Embassy counts about 60 percent of them as professionals and skilled workers and the other 40 percent as household service workers, the helpers who keep many Singapore homes running (source).
Filipinos in Singapore at a glance
Singapore's Department of Statistics and the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) do not publish a headcount by nationality. MOM's foreign workforce table splits workers by pass type and stops there (source). Every Filipino figure below comes from a Philippine agency, or from FIS arithmetic on official numbers, and each row carries its year.
Filipinos living and working in Singapore (Embassy estimate)
200,000 or 220,000? Wikipedia and many older articles say about 200,000. That round number tracks the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) count of 203,243 from December 2013. The Embassy's 220,000 is the newer figure, and FIS uses it. Set against Singapore's 6.21 million people, the Embassy estimate puts kababayans at about 3.5 percent of everyone on the island (FIS calculation).
Two remittance figures. BSP's table shows US$2.58 billion for 2025; the Embassy's handbook says US$2.4 billion. BSP warns that remittance centres often route money through correspondent banks in the US, and it files courier transfers under the courier's head office country, which is often the US (source). Singapore's real share could sit higher than either number.
A short history
The Embassy's own records give the milestones. Records of the early migration waves are thin, so this list sticks to dated events.
1966: Ambassador Tomas C. Benitez becomes the first official Philippine representative to Singapore, after Singapore's independence on 9 August 1965 (source).
16 May 1969: The Philippines and Singapore establish diplomatic relations (source).
1971: The Philippine consulate becomes a full embassy (source).
January 1980: The Philippine government buys the Nassim Road property, then a two-storey house (source).
1998: President Fidel V. Ramos and Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong set up the Philippines-Singapore Action Plan (source).
2001: The Philippine Bayanihan Society Singapore starts, and later runs the Bayanihan Centre at Pasir Panjang for 25 years (source).
2013: The CFO counts 203,243 Filipinos in Singapore (source).
2022 and 2024: The two governments sign a Joint Communique on the recruitment of Filipino healthcare workers (2022), then an MOU on their deployment (2024) (source).
20 October 2025: Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro and Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan inaugurate the rebuilt chancery. Full operations start on 26 December 2025, and the chancery and new Sentro Rizal open to the community on 9 January 2026 (source).
30 June 2026: The Bayanihan Centre's Pasir Panjang lease ends; PBSS keeps its programmes going while it looks for a new home (source).
The Embassy gives one split: 60 percent professionals and skilled workers, 40 percent household service workers (source). No Singapore or Philippine agency publishes a sector-by-sector share for Filipinos, so treat any percentage you see for nurses or engineers with caution.
Healthcare. The Embassy's handbook names nurses, doctors and pharmacists among Filipino professionals here. Both governments signed a 2022 Joint Communique and a 2024 MOU on recruiting and deploying Filipino healthcare workers (source).
Domestic work. Singapore had 323,800 migrant domestic workers of all nationalities in June 2026 (source). MOM requires one rest day a week, and at least one rest day each month that your employer cannot pay you to skip (source). Check what your employer owes you in our helper rest day pay calculator.
Engineering, IT and the professions. The handbook lists engineers, software developers, architects, bankers, teachers, scientists and corporate lawyers (source). Filipino engineers, computer engineers, architects and accountants each run their own Singapore chapters.
F&B, hospitality, finance and retail. The same handbook says OFWs contribute to F&B, hospitality, ICT, education, finance, retail, arts, entertainment and recreation.
Most mid-level jobs come on an S Pass. MOM's floor is S$3,300 a month (S$3,800 in financial services), rising to S$3,600 for new applications from 1 January 2027 (source). Our S Pass salary guide has the full age table, and our job hunting guide covers where to apply.
Where the community gathers
Lucky Plaza, 304 Orchard Road. The Embassy's handbook names it as a place to buy Filipino food (source). Remittance and balikbayan box counters fill levels 3 and 4. On a Sunday it feels like a mall in Cubao. Start with our Lucky Plaza 101 guide.
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Parishes. The handbook notes that Filipinos make up a significant part of Singapore's Catholic population. Eleven Catholic parishes list a Tagalog or Filipino Mass on their websites, and Blessed Sacrament at 1 Commonwealth Drive holds one every Sunday at 3:15pm except the third Sunday. Several Protestant churches run Filipino services too. Find yours in our Tagalog Mass schedule by church.
The Embassy and Sentro Rizal, 20 Nassim Road. The new chancery houses Sentro Rizal, the Embassy's cultural hub, with curated Philippine artworks (source). In July 2026, First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos opened its library (source).
Parks, food spots and neighbourhood meetups. Rest-day barkadas spread across the island. Our Filipino map of Singapore pins Filipino restaurants, stores and services so you can find the ones near your HDB or your employer's place.
One change for 2026: the Bayanihan Centre at Pasir Panjang closed when its lease ended on 30 June 2026, so skip old directions that send you there.
Community groups and associations
No single federation speaks for all Filipinos in Singapore. The community runs on a network. The Embassy meets community leaders four times a year at its Ugnayan: Bagong Pilipinas Town Hall Meetings (source), and groups join its FilCom database to get invited.
The network covers:
Long-standing societies such as the Philippine Bayanihan Society Singapore, which turned 25 in August 2026.
Professional chapters for civil engineers (PICE), computer engineers (ICpEP), architects (UAP) and accountants (PICPA), plus the Philippine Chamber of Commerce in Singapore.
Faith communities, from Couples for Christ to parish Filcoms in Woodlands, Aljunied, Yishun and Siglap.
Helper support NGOs such as HOME, the Centre for Domestic Employees, FAST, Aidha and ACMI.
For a contract or employer problem, the Migrant Workers Office at the Embassy handles OFW labour cases. Its emergency hotline is +65 9113 6552 (source).
Events and celebrations
Independence Day, 12 June. The Embassy opened its 2026 Independence Week with a flag-raising on 8 June, the first at the new chancery, marking the 128th anniversary of Philippine independence. The same ceremony honoured Migrant Workers Day on 7 June (source). The Embassy closes on 12 June (source).
Fiestang Pinoy. The community's big Independence fiesta. Fiesta 2026, "Fiestang Pinoy: Istoryang OFW," drew over 10,000 people to Suntec on 19 July 2026 with a Mass, a regional parade, a perya and a singing contest (source).
Simbang Gabi. The handbook promises you will not miss Sunday Mass or Simbang Gabi every December (source). Parish Filcoms such as FilcomSAPP at St Anthony, Woodlands, run Simbang Gabi in their parishes (source).
Buwan ng Wika and Linggo ng Musikang Pilipino. The Embassy marks both. In July 2026 it held its first concert at Sinagtala Hall for Linggo ng Musikang Pilipino (source), and it opened Buwan ng Wika in August (source).
About 220,000, according to the Philippine Embassy in Singapore in 2026, the tenth largest Filipino community abroad. The older figure of about 200,000 traces back to the Commission on Filipinos Overseas count of 203,243 in December 2013. Singapore's own statistics agencies do not publish a count by nationality, so both numbers are estimates.
Where do Filipinos hang out in Singapore?+
Lucky Plaza at 304 Orchard Road is the best-known spot, with Filipino food, remittance counters and balikbayan cargo on levels 3 and 4. Parishes with a Tagalog Mass, such as Blessed Sacrament at Commonwealth, draw big crowds on Sundays. The Embassy and Sentro Rizal at 20 Nassim Road host events, and the yearly Fiesta at Suntec pulls in more than 10,000 people.
Is Singapore good for Filipino workers?+
For many kababayans, yes. Singapore sent US$2.58 billion in cash remittances to the Philippines in 2025, second after the United States, and MOM rules give domestic workers a weekly rest day with at least one per month that cannot be bought out. The trade-off is cost: the Embassy warns that housing, dining out and transport cost far more than at home, so budget before you sign.
What jobs do most Filipinos in Singapore have?+
The Embassy says about 60 percent work as professionals and skilled workers and 40 percent in household service. Its 2026 OFW Handbook lists engineers, nurses, software developers, architects, bankers, teachers, doctors and pharmacists, plus OFWs in F&B, hospitality, ICT, finance and retail.
Where is the Philippine Embassy in Singapore?+
At 20 Nassim Road, Singapore 258395, in the rebuilt chancery that opened for full operations on 26 December 2025. Office hours run Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. Book an appointment online before you go; a small courtesy lane takes walk-ins for seniors, pregnant women, PWDs, solo parents and emergencies. The trunkline is +65 6737 3977.
How much do Filipinos in Singapore send home?+
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas recorded US$2.58 billion in cash remittances from Singapore in 2025 (preliminary), 7.3 percent of the total and second after the United States. The Embassy's 2026 handbook rounds it to US$2.4 billion. BSP notes that money routed through US banks or couriers lands under the US, so Singapore's true figure may run higher.
Is there a Tagalog Mass in Singapore?+
Yes. Eleven Catholic parishes list a Tagalog or Filipino Mass on their own websites. The Church of the Blessed Sacrament at 1 Commonwealth Drive holds one every Sunday at 3:15pm except the third Sunday, and the others run theirs once a month.
How do I join a Filipino community group in Singapore?+
Start with the FIS directory of 42 verified groups, from the Philippine Bayanihan Society Singapore to professional chapters, parish Filcoms and helper NGOs. Group leaders can sign up for the Embassy's FilCom database, which feeds its quarterly Ugnayan town hall meetings.
