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Missed the National Day Rally 2026 speech by Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong? Fear not! We have compiled the key takeaways from the speech, so read on.
With the renewed Childcare Leave scheme, parents will now get more childcare leave, based on the number of children they have.
| Number of children aged 12 and below | Childcare leave per working parent | Childcare leave for both working parents |
| 1 child | 8 days | Up to 16 days |
| 2 children | 10 days | Up to 20 days |
| 3 or more children | 12 days | Up to 24 days |
This has been increased to give parents more time to care for their children aged 12 and below. Furthermore, the Government will cover the costs of all statutory child-related leave, up to the reimbursement limit.
Next, every Singaporean newborn will now receive a more standardised support package.
Previously, there were several different schemes, such as the Baby Bonus Cash Gift, the Child Development Account, and the Large Family Scheme. Additionally, these support schemes varied based on the birth order of the child.
There will now be a new SG Child Support Package for each child, regardless of birth order, replacing all these existing schemes.
| Support | Amount |
| Baby Gift | S$10,000 |
| MediSave Grant for Newborns | S$5,000 |
| CDA First Step Grant | S$5,000 |
| Government CDA co-matching | Up to S$5,000 |
| Child Credits, ages 1–16 | S$2,000 per year |
| PSEA top-up at age 17 | S$10,000 |
| Total support across childhood | Almost S$70,000 |
Childcare fees will also receive greater subsidies, alongside additional childcare leave and financial support.
Full-day childcare fees for Singaporean children will fall to S$150 a month, while infant care fees will fall to S$300 a month. This is regardless of household income. There will be additional subsidies on top of these for lower-income families.
Now, for housing, the Government will raise the income ceiling for Build-To-Order (BTO) flats for both families and singles. It will also raise the income ceiling for buyers of new executive condominiums.
| Housing type | Current income ceiling | New income ceiling |
| Subsidised HDB Flats for Families | S$14,000 | S$16,000 |
| Subsidised HDB Flats for Singles | S$7,000 | S$8,000 |
| Executive Condominiums | S$16,000 | S$18,000 |
In addition, families with children applying for a new flat for the first time will receive 1 additional ballot chance for every child they currently have, or are expecting. This will greatly improve their chances of securing a home.
Social media platforms will have to introduce more robust age checks rather than just relying on self-declaration by the user. If the safeguards put into place are still inadequate, further restrictions, including raising the minimum age for access beyond 13 years old, could be implemented.
There are also plans to reshape our outer islands.
| Area | What is planned |
| Western islands | Several islands south of Jurong Island could be merged into a new western island for industrial and power needs |
| Sentosa & Pulau Brani | Transformed into an integrated waterfront destination |
| Long Island | New waterfront area for future generations |
| Pulau Tekong | Feasibility study for undersea tunnels to mainland Singapore |
Artificial intelligence has rapidly progressed beyond being just a simple chatbot. Punggol residents may have noticed the bright purple cars driving around. These are autonomous vehicles (AVs) currently being trialled. These AVs will eventually be scaled up once the technology is proven safe for use.
Our taxi workforce is ageing, and it is becoming harder to recruit bus captains. These AVs could help address manpower shortages in public transport.
AV adoption will take place progressively. The Government will support affected taxi and private-hire drivers through retraining and job transitions.
Lastly, Singapore is a melting pot of cultures, and we will continue to welcome new citizens at a measured pace while maintaining our current ethnic balance. Foreign manpower will continue to complement the local workforce, with numbers carefully managed.
