TRADE Secretary Cristina Roque will join President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s visit to Canada on July 1-4 to pitch investments and advance free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations.
“There [are] industries that we want to get into, like agriculture, technology, and energy,” Roque told reporters last week, adding that she hopes FTA discussions will help conclude negotiations this year.
Two rounds of PH-Canada FTA negotiations have been completed in February and April, with a third round set for July.
Marcos is visiting at the invitation of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
Bilateral merchandise trade between the Philippines and Canada reached $2.14 billion in 2025, with Philippine exports at $1.31 billion and imports from Canada at $840 million.
Canada is the Philippines’ 16th largest trading partner.
Its main exports to the Philippines include mineral ores, meat, cereals, wood, machinery, electronics, fertilizers and aircraft parts, while the Philippines ships electronics, machinery, animal and vegetable oils, leather and rubber products, and scientific instruments to Canada.
