APRIL 8, 2026 – International magazine Monocle hailed the Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines in Singapore as one of the world’s best foreign embassies for its “Good Embassies Guide” April 2026 issue.
Founded in 2007, Monocle is a foreign publication that features global affairs, diplomacy, culture, design, business, and more. Headquartered in London and Zurich, it has offices in Paris, Tokyo, and Hong Kong.
Magazine Hails PH Embassy in Singapore as “Best Upgrade”
Located at 20 Nassim Road in Singapore, the new Philippine Chancery was inaugurated on October 20, 2025. In its latest issue, Monocle named the Philippine Embassy as having the “Best Embassy Upgrade.”
According to Monocle, the previous facility was demolished; Singapore-based ACO Architects and interiors practice Inside Outside Designs were hired to build a new one. “The result is a love letter to the Philippines expressed in the abstracted form of a bahay kubo, a stilt house typical of the archipelago’s vernacular architecture,” the article stated.
The new design featured traditional materials and national symbols, including: an “amakan” woven bamboo lattice by the main visitor entrance, a canopy held up by galvanized-iron “narra,” and Philippine-made furniture pieces from designers like Vito Selma and Ito Kish.
“It’s a much-improved environment for embassy staff, visiting delegations, and the 220,000 Singapore-based Philippine nationals in need of consular services,” according to the magazine article.
Notably, the Philippine Embassy is the only diplomatic mission from Asia that was included in Monocle’s “Good Embassies Guide” April 2026 issue. Here is the full list of embassies and their notable features:
- Best Embassy for Soft Power Promotion – Italian Embassy in London;
- Best Food – Embassy of Peru in Washington, D.C.;
- Best Use of Historic Building – Embassy of Brazil in Rome;
- Best Shared Embassy – The Nordics in Berlin, which houses the diplomatic missions of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden);
- Best Embassy Upgrade – Embassy of the Philippines in Singapore;
- Best Nod to Local Traditions – Swiss Embassy in Seoul;
- Best Interiors – Embassy of Norway in Stockholm; and
- Best Architecture – Embassy of the Netherlands in Addis Ababa.
The Philippine Embassy in Singapore expressed that it is “honored for the recognition given to the newly-redeveloped Philippine Chancery,” a DFA news release stated. It is committed to continue bringing honor and pride to every Filipino, with the Chancery serving as a strong testament to the enduring friendship between Singapore and the Philippines.
Watch this report by UNTV News and Rescue about the Philippine Embassy in Singapore getting featured in Monocle magazine:
This latest achievement by the Philippine Embassy shows that the country’s diplomatic missions are not only recognized for their programs and services, but also for their world-class facilities and design.