With negotiations underway for a potential Canada-Philippines Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and global supply chains facing rising geopolitical risks, Philippine and Canadian experts are calling for stronger bilateral cooperation on economic security, emerging technologies and a resilient trade system between the two countires.

At the “Building Economic Security through Strengthened Canada-Philippines Partnership” conference on 13 March at Makati Shangri-La, Makati City, Canadian Ambassador David Hartman highlighted the significance of the ongoing FTA negotiations, which, once concluded, would mark the Philippines’ first trade agreement with a North American country.

Pushing to finalize within 2026

Ambassador Hartman said both governments are pushing to finalize the deal within the year. “Our partnership is becoming more strategic, more forward-looking, and increasingly connected to the broader concept of economic security,” he said.

Hartman noted that modern trade agreements go beyond reducing tariffs to provide stable frameworks that help economies diversify supply chains, strengthen investor confidence, and deepen trust between economic partners.

He added that the Philippines and Canada “have set an ambitious timeline to conclude these negotiations this calendar year, and Canada remains fully committed to achieving that goal.”

Deeper cooperation in strategic sectors

Discussions among policymakers and industry experts also explored opportunities for deeper cooperation in strategic sectors such as defense industries, digital partnerships and supply chains for critical minerals and clean technologies.