President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Thursday witnessed the signing of several landmark agreements aimed at boosting cooperation across critical sectors, formally elevating Philippines–Canada relations to a Strategic Partnership.
The signing ceremony, held at the Vancouver Convention Centre during President Marcos’ official visit to Canada, spans key bilateral understandings and declarations of cooperation in energy, natural resources, tourism, culture, and labor migration.
“I am glad to have witnessed today the signing of bilateral understandings and declarations of cooperation in the areas of energy and natural resources cooperation, tourism, culture, and labor and migration,” President Marcos said in a joint press statement. “These agreements will help us harness the strong people-to-people ties between our two countries, as we jointly build capacities and create a mutually beneficial talent pipeline for the future.”
The newly signed pacts include:
-
Tourism & Culture: A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Philippines’ Department of Tourism (DOT) and the Department of Industry of Canada, alongside an MOU between the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the Department of Canadian Heritage.
-
Energy & Environment: A Joint Declaration of Intent Concerning Energy and Natural Resources Cooperation.
-
Labor & Migration: A Joint Declaration of Intent between the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and the Department of Citizenship and Immigration of Canada to foster a sustainable and mutually beneficial talent pipeline.
To sustain this momentum, President Marcos and Prime Minister Carney have mandated their respective Foreign Ministers to develop an ambitious, forward-looking plan of action to guide the next phase of the newly established Strategic Partnership.
The leaders also highlighted recent defense and economic milestones that laid the groundwork for this elevated relationship, including the signing of a landmark Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA), a Mutual Logistics Support Arrangement (MLSA), and the official launch of bilateral free trade negotiations.
Occurring during a period of shifting global realities and international disruption, the state visit provided a critical opportunity for both nations to commit to addressing shared challenges and building a future-ready partnership. Both leaders expressed immense confidence that the Philippines–Canada alliance will continue to grow in scope, depth, and strategic importance in the years ahead.
