Philippines, Canada elevate ties to strategic partnership

VANCOUVER, Canada — The Philippines and Canada on Thursday, July 2, elevated their bilateral ties to a strategic partnership, marking a new chapter in what President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has described as an “unprecedented momentum in the deepening of bilateral relations.” 

Marcos and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney formalized the elevation of ties during the Philippine leader’s official visit to Vancouver. Marcos is the first Philippine president to visit Canada since the late Benigno Aquino III’s state visit in 2015.

“We have tasked our Foreign Ministers to draw up a Plan of Action to pursue our shared commitment to work together in adapting to shifting global realities, addressing shared challenges, and building capacities for a future-ready partnership,” Marcos said in a joint press conference with Carney shortly after their bilateral meeting.

Marcos added: “We recognize that robust defense and security cooperation underpins the strong momentum of our relations. Recent milestones in this pillar underscore the shared commitment of our countries in ensuring that our peoples continue to live in a peaceful and secure region.”

A strategic partnership, by most definitions, is a deeper alignment between two countries particularly in the areas of trade and security. 

Canada is the sixth country with whom the Philippines has elevated ties to a strategic partnership. It joins the ranks of Japan, Vietnam, Australia, South Korea, and India, although in the months before the Vancouver visit, Manila further upped ties with Japan to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and with Vietnam to an Enhanced Strategic Partnership. 

In a message prior to leaving the Philippines for Vancouver, Marcos noted that it was “imperative that we further strengthen this connection with our longstanding friend and partner, as we navigate the shared challenges we face as Pacific nations.” 

Canada, with over 1 million people of Filipino descent, is home to the second-largest Filipino diaspora in the world. It also the Philippines’ 20th largest trading partner as of 2024.

During their bilateral meeting, Marcos as the chairman of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) invited Carney as the chair’s guest to the East Asia Summit, or the premiere leaders-level strategic dialogue in the region. 

Manila will be hosting the 49th ASEAN Summit in November. 

Defense ties, too 

Marcos and Carney witnessed the signing of several frameworks and agreements, including one on the development of energy and natural resources in the Philippines, migrant workers, culture, and tourism. 

The two nations have made key strides in their security ties, too. In 2023, Canada gave the Philippines access to its proprietary Dark Vessel Detection System. Today, it’s one of several platforms government agencies and the Philippine Navy use to monitor the country’s vast maritime spaces.  

Manila is the hub for Canada’s Indo-Pacific Agriculture and Agri-Food Office. Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., who was in Ottawa in mid-June, said Canadian officials have expressed interest in Manila as their coordinating center for the Indo-Pacific. This follows the signing of a Status of the Visiting Forces Agreement in late 2025, and engagements between the Canadian and Philippine militaries even before the Philippine Senate’s concurrence to the deal.  

In terms of trade, Manila is negotiating a Free Trade Agreement with Canada. Some officials have expressed hope that it would be concluded in 2026. Canada recently announced it was investing over P89 million “to fund targeted technical assistance” in the Luzon Economic Corridor, a joint effort launched by the United States, Japan, and Philippines in 2024 to “[coordinate] investments in transport infrastructure, energy systems, digital connectivity, and advanced manufacturing supply chains.”

The rest of Marcos’ Vancouver visit will be spent meeting with Canadian businesses, including those in mining, IT and business process management, telecommunications, nuclear energy, and financial services. He will also grace a gathering of the Filipino community in Canada.

The President’s delegation to Canada includes members of his Cabinet: Foreign Affairs Secretary Maria Theresa Lazaro, Finance Secretary Frederick Go, Trade Secretary Cristina Roque, Environment Secretary Juan Miguel Cuna, and Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac. First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos is also part of the delegation. – Rappler.com