The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today announced that she will welcome Enrique A. Manalo, Secretary for Foreign Affairs for the Philippines, to Ottawa on May 8, 2024.

“For 75 years, our two countries have enjoyed a long-standing partnership—one that is anchored in generations of dynamic connections between our peoples. I look forward to greeting Secretary Manalo and building on our countries’ robust relationship, which is being furthered through our Indo-Pacific Strategy, for many years to come.”

- Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs

• Diplomatic relations between the two countries began in 1949, and their relationship has reached new heights in recent years. With nearly one million Canadian residents of Philippine origin contributing to Canada’s multicultural society through their culture and heritage, people-to-people ties are at the foundation of the two countries’ relations.

• In November 2022, Canada announced its Indo-Pacific Strategy, a whole-of-society effort that guides Canada’s actions and ensures that Canadians and people in the region benefit from Canada’s engagement.

• Following the strategy, in 2023, Canada delivered on a number of commitments to the Philippines. These include the following:

  • Promoting peace, resilience and security: As part of its commitment under the strategy to enhance military presence and promote security in the region, as well as to ensure the safety of Canadians, Canada deployed three warships to the Indo-Pacific.
  • Expanding trade, investment and supply chain resilience: Canada opened its first Indo-Pacific Agriculture and Agri-Food Office in Manila, Philippines. This signals Canada’s long-term commitment in the region, including as a stable and trusted supplier for agriculture, agri-food and seafood products. To further expand in the Philippine markets and strengthen its position in global supply chains, Canada will lead a Team Canada trade mission to the Philippines later this year.
  • Investing in and connecting people: Canada opened a global operations centre in Manila to help bolster visa processing and facilitate travel. In addition, Canada expanded eligibility for electronic travel authorization to include travellers from the Philippines, as well as 12 other countries, enabling visa-free travel for eligible individuals. Canada also launched the CAN Work Philippines pilot program to streamline work permit processing so that skilled workers in the Philippines can come to Canada.
  • Building a sustainable and green future: Using its world-class technology to support the law of the sea in the region, Canada deployed its Dark Vessel Detection program to support the tracking of illegal fishing vessels and maritime security. The system enables Philippine authorities to access near-real-time satellite tracking data in the country’s region.

Associated links

• Canada-Philippines relations
• Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy: 2022 to 2023 Implementation update
• Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy

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