Canadian companies presented approximately USD130.89 million, or PHP8.034 billion, in potential new and expansion investment and financing commitments in the Philippines’ IT-BPM and digital services sectors during a high-level roundtable led by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Trade and Industry Secretary Cristina A. Roque.
Held on July 3, 2026, during the President’s official visit to Canada, the discussion brought together senior Philippine officials and major Canadian corporations specializing in information technology, business process management, customer experience, cybersecurity, enterprise software, financial services, and global capability operations.
The participating Canadian firms— BlackBerry, CGI, Everise, IntouchCX, Manulife, NQX, OpenText, Sun Life, and TELUS—collectively represent approximately USD160.5 billion (CAD 228 billion) in market capitalization. The unveiled investment plans aim to create quality jobs, accelerate digital transformation, and strengthen the country’s position as a trusted global technology hub.
President Marcos Jr. emphasized the evolving capabilities of the Philippine workforce, noting that customer experience, analytics, cybersecurity, financial services support, healthcare information management, digital operations and artificial intelligence are now central to how global enterprises compete and grow. All these capabilities combined with the innate ability to troubleshoot and handle critical transactions with empathy give the Philippine workforce its edge, giving all these Canadian firms an impetus to rely on these services from the Philippines even more.
In her remarks, Secretary Roque underscored the Philippines’ readiness to support Canadian companies as they transition into higher-value digital services and next-generation business operations.
“This roundtable turns our trade and investment promotion work into practical business opportunities. By deepening our engagement with Canadian companies, we are opening more doors for investments, technology partnerships, and quality jobs for Filipinos in the IT-BPM and digital services sectors,” Secretary Roque said.
“The Philippines’ greatest asset has always been its people. We are no longer just a back-office destination; we are a strategic partner for global enterprises that need skilled talent, reliable operations, a rapidly evolving AI landscape, strong AI adoption, an AI-enabled workforce, and future-ready digital capabilities.
Under the leadership of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., our administration is aggressively pro-foreign trade and international investments. This commitment is backed by highly attractive incentives schemes under the CREATE MORE Act, our strategic economic zones, and a young, vibrant population that serves as a future-ready digital workforce ready to deliver better, faster, and more innovative solutions to global clients. Our competitive edge is not technology alone—it is this robust, supportive ecosystem combined with world-class Filipino talent,” she added.
The DTI highlighted that the country’s efforts to maintain a stable and predictable business environment are supported by key legislative reforms, including the CREATE MORE Act, the Public-Private Partnership Code, and Executive Order No. 18 establishing Green Lanes for Strategic Investments. These frameworks ensure that incoming high-value projects receive streamlined government facilitation to maximize regional development and employment.
Joining the President and Secretary Roque at the roundtable were Finance Secretary Frederick D. Go, Acting Environment Secretary Atty. Juan Miguel T. Cuna, Philippine Ambassador to Canada Victor Chan-Gonzaga, and Trade Commissioner Mario C. Tani of the Philippine Trade and Investment Center in Toronto.
