Philippines, Canada seal agreements on energy, labor, tourism

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced the signing of four key agreements aimed at expanding partnerships on energy and natural resources, tourism, culture, and labor and migration during the president’s official visit to Canada.

In a joint press statement, Marcos and Carney said that a Joint Declaration of Intent on Energy and Natural Resources Cooperation was signed to further strengthen both countries’ supply chains in critical minerals.

Citing Canada as one of the top five global producers of key minerals and the Philippines as one of the largest exporters of nickel, Carney said both countries aim to supply more critical minerals to the world market.

“We share your objective to increase not just the production but the processing of these essential materials,” Carney said.

Both countries also expressed their goal of enhancing protection for migrant workers, announcing that a Joint Declaration of Intent on Labor and Migration has also been signed.

“Filipino workers make extraordinary contributions to communities across the world and across Canada. When they're here, we will ensure they are treated fairly, can work safely, and have their rights protected,” Carney said.

Furthermore, citing the desire to deepen relations between Filipinos and Canadians, both countries also signed two separate memorandums of understanding on tourism and culture.

“The relations between Canada and the Philippines don't only depend on trade, but also on the people who live there,” Carney said.

Marcos also announced that both countries agreed to elevate their bilateral relations to a strategic partnership.

“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 future-ready partnerships,” Marcos said.

Trade deal to conclude by 2026

Marcos and Carney also expressed their intent to conclude negotiations on the Canada-ASEAN free trade agreement in 2026.

“We're moving with determination to conclude negotiations of our Canada ASEAN free trade agreement by the summit this year,” Carney said, adding that once concluded, the agreement will either reduce or eliminate tariffs on exports and give Canadian workers and businesses access to a CAD5 trillion market of over 700 million people.

Ratification of VFA

The two top officials also announced that they intend to expand “collaboration in maritime security and multinational military operations” between Canada and the Philippines.

“We'll soon ratify the status of visiting forces agreement, enabling our armed forces to train and operate more closely through joint military exercises in both of our countries, reinforcing our collective security,” Carney said.