MANILA, Philippines — Canada has expressed readiness to assist the Philippines in strengthening its maritime sector, including domain awareness, port modernization and disaster resilience, Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez said on Tuesday.
Lopez issued the statement after meeting with Canadian Ambassador to the Philippines David Hartman, who discussed possible areas of cooperation as the Department of Transportation (DOTr) pursued major projects to improve the country's transport infrastructure.
Hartman said Canada was particularly interested in supporting the Philippines' maritime sector and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).
“We particularly support the DOTr and your mandate from a marine perspective with maritime domain awareness—coastal illegal fishing monitoring, port modernization—so there’s a lot of work to be done collaboratively from an inter-agency perspective and again most importantly around disaster resilience,” Hartman was quoted as saying.
Lopez said the meeting covered the DOTr's initiatives and major infrastructure projects in the railway, aviation, road and maritime sectors.
The DOTr chief said international partnerships would be important as the Philippines sought to modernize its transportation networks and improve connectivity.
“International partnerships with developed countries play a crucial role in upgrading our transportation networks, which we know will result in enhanced connectivity and promote sustainability,” Lopez said.
“With our long-standing partnership with Canada, we’re confident that they can help us develop our transport system for the benefit of the Filipinos,” he added.
Lopez stressed that the development of the country's transport system was necessary to ensure sustainable mobility and connectivity.
The meeting was held as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. directed the DOTr to expand partnerships with other countries to support the development and modernization of the Philippines' transportation system, according to the top DOTr official.
Among the areas identified for possible cooperation were maritime domain awareness, monitoring of illegal fishing activities in coastal areas, port modernization and disaster resilience, The Manila Times was told.
Hartman's offer also covered support for the PCG, although the officials did not immediately provide details on specific projects, funding arrangements or timelines.
The DOTr said the discussions formed part of efforts to strengthen international cooperation in advancing the country's transportation infrastructure
