MANILA, Philippines – Canada’s largest trade delegation is slated to visit the Philippines in December to explore investment opportunities and partnerships in different fields and sectors, diplomats revealed on Thursday.
In a media briefing, Canadian officials said that Mary Ng, Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development, will lead the delegation, called Team Canada Trade Mission, to Manila from December 4 to 6.
“She will be joined by at least 300 business leaders from over 180 organizations from 17 different sectors,” said Guy Boileau, Senior Trade Commissioner at the Canadian Embassy.
Boileau said that the initiative aims to strengthen relations between Canada and the Indo-Pacific region, including the Philippines, through investment in trade, security and people-to-people ties.
He also mentioned that Canadian businesses have expressed interest in the Philippines for its “significant economic reforms” in recent years, particularly on taxation and liberalization in key sectors, including renewable energy.
“At the end of the day, [we] are looking for a stable and predictable business environment. And what we have seen over the past few years is that the Philippines is indeed going in that direction, so that's quite interesting and promising for partnerships in collaboration.” Boilaeu said.
Data shows that the Philippine market has great potential, with its gross domestic product (GDP) growth projections of 6% to 6.5% in 2025 to 2026, from this year’s 5.8%.
Boileau also mentioned that the country is seen increasingly as a hub for “servicing other countries in the region.”
He added that it helps that majority of the Philippines’ population speaks and understands English, have a young population that is tech-savvy, which resonates well with Canadian companies.
Boileau also underscored that Canada’s priority sectors in the Philipines - agriculture, clean energy, green mining, infrastructure, information and communication technology, nuclear technologies, defense, and education - align with the objectives and the strategies of the Marcos administration.
