Statement from the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Philippines on the Visit of Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly to the Philippines

MANILA 16 May 2023 — The Philippines’ Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Hon. Enrique A. Manalo, will meet his Canadian counterpart, Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly, on 19 May 2023 to advance bilateral relations and sustain high-level engagements between the Philippines and Canada. This comes amid preparations for the 75th anniversary of bilateral ties between the two countries in 2024.

At their bilateral meeting, Secretary Manalo is expected to bring up enhanced trade and investment between the two nations, developments in the West Philippine Sea, and cooperation in the energy, defense, and maritime sectors, among others. They are also expected to exchange views on regional and global issues of mutual concern, including developments in the Asia-Pacific region and Europe.

The meeting between Sec. Manalo and Min. Joly is the fourth visit of a Cabinet Minister from Canada during the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., indicating a return to high-level engagements between the two countries. Sec. Manalo looks forward to building on existing areas of cooperation as well as exploring fresh avenues for collaboration with Canada.

Sec. Manalo is also expected to highlight the strong people-to-people ties that bind the two nations, chief among them the large Filipino diaspora in Canada. There are almost a million individuals of Filipino descent in Canada, representing 2.59 percent of the country’s population.

Bilateral ties between the two countries commenced in December 1949, when Canada established a trade mission in Manila. END

QUOTE:

“I welcome Foreign Minister Joly’s visit to the Philippines as an avenue to deepen our two countries’ collaboration based on our shared values, including democracy and adherence to a rules-based international order. The Philippines and Canada’s continued cooperation shows how partnerships based on those shared values can withstand numerous challenges and obstacles. I look forward to discussing matters of mutual interest and benefit to our countries and I am optimistic that this meeting can build on our nations’ rich and storied friendship.”

      - Enrique A. Manalo, Secretary for Foreign Affairs