PH, Canada launch exploratory free trade deal talks

Metro Manila, Philippines—The Philippines and Canada have launched exploratory talks for a free trade agreement (FTA), with the first round of discussions scheduled in the first half of 2025.

Trade Secretary Ma. Cristina Aldeguer Roque met with her Canadian counterpart, Mary Ng, in Manila on Thursday, Dec. 5, to explore ways to deepen bilateral trade and investment relations.

Both countries reaffirmed their commitment to supporting a “strong, rules-based international trading system” and emphasized shared values, including ensuring open, fair, and inclusive trade while promoting and protecting labor rights.

The prospective free trade agreement aims to establish a “more predictable and transparent trading environment,” benefiting businesses, consumers, and workers by improving market access conditions.

Canada has been engaged in negotiations for an FTA with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations for a number of years. A bilateral agreement with the Philippines would provide greater assurances for Canadian and Filipino businesses.

“It’s really important for Canadian businesses, as well as for Filipino businesses, as well as for investments. The reason it’s important is because businesses always look for predictability. Free trade agreements give us the rules of engagement, and I’m very much looking forward to those negotiations,” Ng said during a press conference on Thursday.

Without specifying a timeline for the talks, she expressed optimism about the process.

"I am confident that we will be able to put some real energy behind the negotiations. We’re both committed to doing that. And in terms of time frame, all I can say to you is, I hope that they do it really quickly,” Ng said.

She said a wide range of industries could benefit from the potential FTA.

“Energy, tourism, digital and AI, food and agriculture, you know, critical minerals and green mining. So many, many sectors are all represented here already. And I think that when businesses, a lot of the time you negotiate a free trade agreement so that you begin to create the conditions for businesses to come here. The business is already here. So there you’re already seeing the interest in the Philippines, and that already will give us a lot of momentum for the FTA discussions,” she said.

Ng led the Team Canada Trade Mission to the Philippines.

“This is the largest trade mission… where there were 700 people strong, 300 from the Canadian side and 100 from the Filipino side. It really speaks to the confidence of Canadian businesses wanting to grow and develop partnerships and relationships here in the Philippines,” she said.

Canada’s bilateral trade with the Philippines is around $5.6 billion or around P324.43 billion.