Philippines and Canada conclude free trade talks, target 2027 signing
The announcement came ahead of the ASEAN summit in Manila, after formal negotiations began in October 2025.
The Philippines and Canada announced on November 14, 2026, that negotiations on a bilateral free trade agreement had ended. Philippine Trade Secretary Cristina Aldeguer-Roque said both governments would work towards signing the deal in 2027.
The countries’ trade chiefs signed a joint statement in Manila, witnessed by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. The announcement preceded the 49th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit, which Carney is attending as a guest of Marcos, the ASEAN chair.
Roque said the statement set out a commitment by both countries to move quickly towards implementing the agreement and to ensure its benefits reach Filipinos and Canadians. The agreement has not yet been signed.
Formal trade negotiations began in October 2025, shortly before the countries signed a separate agreement on military ties. In July 2026, they agreed to upgrade their relationship to a strategic partnership, encompassing economic cooperation through the trade deal and security ties through their Status of the Visiting Forces Agreement.
