July 16, 2026 — Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. met with the Filipino Canadian community in Vancouver on July 3, in what turned out to be a festive highlight of his official trip to Canada.
The reception emphasized the historic ties between the Philippines and Canada. Marcos reflected that the invitation extended to him by the government of Canada “recognizes the longstanding and enduring relationship between our two countries”, spanning 77 years of formal diplomatic relations. This year also marks the 70th year since the establishment of the first Philippine foreign service post in Canada, the Philippine Consulate in Vancouver.
Marcos went on to note that the history between the two nations goes back even further. “The first recorded Filipino in Canada’s records, Mr. Benjamin ‘Benson’ Flores, arrived in Bowen Island here in British Columbia in 1861. … This marks 165 years of people-to-people relations between the Philippines and Canada.”
Acknowledging that Canada is home to the second largest Filipino diaspora in the world, Marcos declared that the foundation between the two countries is strong and enduring, with a shared vision of strengthening economic cooperation and people-to-people ties. Marcos also expressed his gratitude and assured the Filipino community that the Philippine government remains committed to supporting them: “Kayo ang nagdadala ng dangal sa ating bansa, at nararapat lamang na mabigyan kayo ng tamang serbisyo, maayos na programa, at patuloy na pagsisikap upang maging mas matibay ang ating ekonomiya at ang ating kinabukasan (You bring honour to our country, and it is only right that you are given the right services, proper programs, and ongoing efforts to make our economy and our future stronger).”
Marcos shared that he and Prime Minister Mark Carney discussed in length the importance of the relations between the Philippines and Canada especially in the sectors of economy, energy, national security, culture, and people-to-people relationships.
This was evident the previous day, when the Philippines and Canada agreed to elevate their bilateral relations into a Strategic Partnership. On July 2nd, Marcos and Carney oversaw the signing of four milestone agreements covering tourism, culture and the arts, energy and natural resources, and labour and migration.
This included a memorandum between The Philippines’ Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and Canada’s Department of Citizenship and Immigration (CIC Canada) that Carney called a “first of its kind.” The federal bilateral agreement, the Joint Declaration of Intent on Labor and Migration Cooperation, promotes legal migration pathways and ethical recruitment, and seeks stronger protection for Filipino migrant workers. It was signed by Philippine DMW Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac and Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Indira Anand.
Marcos also held a series of meetings with Canadian businesses during his four-day visit, which included TELUS Corporation, B2Gold Corporation, Filminera Resources Corporation, Oceana Gold Corporation, and NQX.
About the Author
Cindy N. Custodio (she/her) is a filmmaker, writer, and archivist living in Vancouver. She holds undergraduate degrees in Creative Writing from the Ateneo de Manila University and in Motion Pictures & Television from the Academy of Art University, as well as an Archival Studies Masters degree from the University of British Columbia. She currently works in records management for British Columbia General Employees' Union and as an archivist for the Vancouver Police Museum & Archives.
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