President Marcos to visit Canada next month

MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos will travel to Canada to further deepen partnership and advance cooperation in key strategic areas with the North American country, Malacañang announced on Friday.

Marcos is visiting Vancouver, British Columbia from July 1 to 4 at the invitation of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Joseph Carney.

In a statement, the Presidential Communications Office said Marcos and Carney would “assess the progress of the Philippines-Canada defense and security engagements and efforts to expand trade and investment, as well as explore avenues to bolster cooperation in enhancing economic resilience, strengthening collaboration in energy and critical minerals and reinforcing people-to-people linkages.”

Marcos and Carney will also talk about the Philippines’ chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) this year and “regional strategic priorities.”

During his visit, Marcos will also meet with Canadian business leaders and investors in sectors critical to the Philippines’ economic agenda, such as information technology, business process management, artificial intelligence, critical infrastructure, critical minerals and other high-growth industries, the PCO said.

Marcos, who will be accompanied by First Lady Liza Marcos, will likewise meet with the Filipino community in Vancouver to recognize the vital contributions of overseas Filipinos to both nations and to the enduring ties between the Philippines and Canada.

The office of Carney announced Marcos’ upcoming visit to Canada, noting this will be the first visit by a Philippine president to Canada in 11 years.

Meanwhile, Canadian direct investment in the Philippines has grown more than 40 percent, the office of the Prime Minister of Canada also noted.

“Building on this momentum, Prime Minister Carney and President Marcos Jr. will identify further opportunities to deepen our economic and security partnership,” it said.

The last Philippine president to visit Canada was the late former president Benigno Aquino III in 2015.

The Philippines was Canada’s sixth largest merchandise export market in ASEAN.