Round 1 of PH-Canada free trade talks set for Feb
Philippine and Canadian trade officials will meet in February to formally begin negotiations for a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA), a deal that would be the Philippines’ first with a North American country.
Trade Undersecretary Allan Gepty told the Inquirer that the first round of talks would be held in February, with members of the Canadian delegation traveling to the Philippines for the negotiations.
This comes nearly two years after exploratory discussions on a possible FTA began in late 2024.
At the time, Canadian Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development Mary Ng said sectors expected to benefit from the agreement include agriculture, infrastructure and energy.
She added that the Philippine side has expressed interest in cooperation in energy, tourism, digital and artificial intelligence, food and agriculture, as well as critical minerals and green mining.
Canadian Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines president Christopher Ilagan said conditions were “ripe” for both countries to start and conclude negotiations in 2026, citing shifts in the global trade landscape.
“We remain optimistic that the Canada-Philippines FTA negotiations will remain a top priority for both countries this year and hope that it will be concluded at the soonest,” Ilagan told the Inquirer. “The current global situation demands a more rapid diversification of trade and investment relations.”
Earlier this month, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said at the World Economic Forum in Davos that Canada was negotiating FTAs with the Philippines, India, Thailand, Mercosur and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
Consultations conducted by the Canadian government from late 2024 to early 2025 showed that agriculture is expected to be a major focus of the proposed FTA.
About 45 percent of respondents supporting the agreement came from the agriculture and agri-food sector, including export-oriented firms in sugar, beef, grains and pulses.
